Classical Music News

Applications Closing for The World's Biggest Stage Competition — Violin Edition

November 21, 2023

2 MIN READ

With applications open until December 1, the final round will take place on January 14, 2024, and live-streamed on The Violin Channel

After a successful vocal edition last year, The World's Biggest Stage returns in 2023 for violinists.

Originally known as the Getting to Carnegie Competition, the event's founder, Julian Gargiulo, aka “Pianist with the Hair," recently gave us an inside look at the rebranded initiative.

Open to all violinists of all nationalities, ages 18 to 29 (by Jan 14, 2024), the Violin Edition of The World's Biggest Stage Competition has no application fee.

The winner will receive $5,000 and be the featured violinist at the 20th Water Island Music Festival. The 3 runner-ups will each receive $2,000.

The competition will take place in two rounds — the first one consisting of a video recording of a freely chosen 3-5 minute piece from the standard violin repertoire, for either solo violin, violin and piano, or violin and orchestra (or other instrumental configuration). The video should be uploaded to YouTube.

Applications are open until December 1, 2023. To apply, email [email protected] the following information:

1. Biography (including date of birth)

2. Demo video link of 3-5 minute performance

3. E-mail address

Four finalists will be chosen by Dec 15, 2023, to proceed to the final round, which will take place at New York City's Merkin Hall on Sunday, Jan 14, 2024, and live-streamed by the Violin Channel to its 600,000+ followers.

Each finalist will perform one movement selected from the newly composed Violin Sonata by Julian Gargiulo. The four movements will be assigned randomly.

The competition's winner will be decided 50 percent by the audience (online and present at the final round) and 50 percent by a jury consisting solely of previous winners of the competition plus one celebrity judge.

The winner will receive a cash prize of $5,000, be the featured violinist in the 2025 The World's Biggest Stage Competition (Jan 2025), be the featured violinist in the 20th Water Island Music Festival in St. Thomas, USVI (Jan 2025), and give a series of assembly-style performances (along with Julian) leading up to the 2025 competition in New York Public High Schools. Airfare (from NY), lodging, and meals will be provided (for the Water Island Music Festival) as well as housing in NY while giving the public school performances.

For more information, click here.