Applications Open to Spain’s Sarasate Academy 2025 

Held from May 15–18, 2025, in Madrid, the Academy will select violinists, violists, and cellists of all ages based on musical skill

Founded by Kirill Troussov, the inaugural Sarasate Academy is now welcoming applications from violinists, violists, and cellists of all ages and nationalities. 

To be held from May 15–18, 2025, in Madrid, Spain, the Academy will involve four 45-minute masterclasses, masterclass concerts with piano, a professors’ concert, and a final celebratory chamber music concert. 

One outstanding 2025 Academy participant will receive the Sarasate Award, which will see the winner perform solo with the Orquesta Camerata de Castilla-La Mancha, during the 2025/26 season in Albacete, Spain.

The violin classes will be taught by Pierre Amoyal and Kirill Troussov, violas will be led by Veronika Hagen, and cellists will learn from Frans Helmerson. 

Additionally, all students will participate in chamber music classes given by the Academy’s two directors, violinist Paloma Pierzchala and cellist Eduardo González. 

The Academy will also present prizes from Gewa Music. In addition to lessons, every student will receive 1000 free credits for the Henle Library.

To apply, click here and scroll down for the application form; the deadline is March 1, 2025. The Academy jury will make its decision solely based on musical skills.

The selected participants will be sent a confirmation email on March 15, 2025. Fees for booked masterclasses must be paid by March 29, 2025.

“For many years, I have dedicated a large part of my career to teaching the next generation of classical musicians: as chairman and artistic director of different academies and competitions, in my online lessons and in my numerous international master-classes,” said Troussov, who is also the Academy’s artistic director. “Founding a string academy in Madrid was a vision I had been carrying around with me for a long time.

“I am thrilled to have met Paloma Pierzchala and Eduardo González, who are just as dedicated to music education as I am. Together we have invested a lot of time and effort into bringing to life a unique string academy in one of the most exciting cities of Europe. And I am grateful for the highly esteemed professors who will lead the masterclasses in the academy’s first year.”