BREAKING | Finalists Announced at Munich’s ARD International Cello Competition

The 3 Finalists have been announced at the 2019 ARD International Cello Competition – in Munich, Germany

The 3 Finalists have just minutes ago been announced at the 2019 ARD International Cello Competition – in Munich, Germany.

The 2019 Finalists are:

• 26-year-old Sihao He from China
• 22-year-old Friedrich Thiele from Germany
• 21-year-old Haruma Sato from Japan

Open to cellists of any nationality born between 1988 and 2000, the 1st prize winner will receive €10,000 (US $11,500).

SIHAO HE & MUNICH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA | HAYDN CELLO CONCERTO NO. 2 IN D MAJOR | MARTIN SMOLKA - 'LIKE ELLA' FOR SOLO CELLO | 2019 ARD INTERNATIONAL CELLO COMPETITION | SEMI-FINAL | 26-YEARS-OLD

FRIEDRICH THIELE & MUNICH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA | HAYDN CELLO CONCERTO NO. 2 IN D MAJOR | MARTIN SMOLKA - 'LIKE ELLA' FOR SOLO CELLO | 2019 ARD INTERNATIONAL CELLO COMPETITION | SEMI-FINAL  | 22-YEARS OLD

HARUMA SATO & MUNICH CHAMBER ORCHESTRA | HAYDN CELLO CONCERTO NO. 1 IN C MAJOR | MARTIN SMOLKA - 'LIKE ELLA' FOR SOLO CELLO | 2019 ARD INTERNATIONAL CELLO COMPETITION | SEMI-FINAL | 21-YEARS-OLD

For the final round, each of the 3 finalists will perform their choice from the Elgar, Schumann, Shostakovich 2nd and Martinu 2nd Cello Concertos - with conductor Eun Sun Kim and the Bavarian Radio Symphony.

The 2019 cello jury comprises: Lynn Harrell (Chairman), Ophélie Gaillard, Matt Haimovitz, Maria Kliegel, Torleif Thedéen, Tamás Varga and Pieter Wispelwey.

Launched in 1952, this year’s ARD International Music Competition will be held in 4 instrumental categories: Cello, Clarinet, Bassoon and Percussion.

Previous ARD Competition 1st prize winners include: Yuri Bashmet, Christian Tetzlaff, Antoine Tamestit, Natalia Gutman, Christoph Eschenbach, Nobuko Imai, Jessye Norman and Mitsuko Uchida.

The Violin Channel, as the cello competition’s official international media and broadcast partner, will be providing streaming coverage direct from Munich.