Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition Announces 2025 Candidates

10 quartets selected to compete in this prestigious competition

Created in 1999, the Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition is organized every three years by the Quatuors à Bordeaux association, which also organizes the "Vibre!" festival. Since 2021, it has been co-directed by the Quatuor Modigliani (artistic director) and Julien Kieffer (director).

Open to string quartets of every nationality, the Competition’s 11th edition will be held from May 19–25, 2025 at the Auditorium of the Bordeaux Opera.

The preselection committee, including Marie Chilemme, François Kieffer, and Vineta Sareika, has chosen ten quartets that will be competing in this year's competition. They are:

• Animato Kwartet - The Netherlands
• Arete Quartet - South Korea
• Ast Quartet - Germany / South Korea
• Quatuor Elmire - France
• Quartet HANA - Germany
• Kleio String Quartet - United Kingdom
• Quatuor Magenta - France
• Quatuor Métamorphoses - France
• Opus13 - Norway / Sweden
• Terra String Quartet - United States

The First Grand Prize is endowed with €20,000 and a set of bows by Edwin Clement of Meilleur Ouvrier de France valued at €40,000. In addition, the winner will complete a recording project for an album produced by Mirare and distributed by Pias/Harmonia Mundi, as well as a two-year international tour.

Second Prize comes with €10,000, four quality instrument cases donated by BAM Cases valued at €3,500, an invitation to a series of masterclasses to be selected by the prizewinner, and a concert in the ProQuartet season.

Finally, Third Prize is €5,000, with an invitation for the winning quartet to join the Saint-Jean de Lux/Ciboure Ravel Academy. The special prizes include the €2,000 Contemporary Work Prize, €1,000 Young Listeners’ Prize, and the Audience Prize. Additionally, each participant in the competition will receive a voucher for the Henle Library App worth €50 each.

The Final round will be held on May 24, 2025, and the Finalists’ Gala will be held the following day on the 25th.

The 2025 jury will comprise Martin Beaver (President), Corina Belcea, Hélène Clement, Valentin Erben, Miguel da Silva, and Anne Queffélec.

Past winners of the Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition include the Prazák, Hagen, Ysaÿe, Belcea, Ébène, Schumann, and Leonkoro String Quartets.