Classical Music News

Grand Prix Emanuel Feuermann Competition Announces 2022 Semi-Finalists

November 17, 2022

2 MIN READ

Six cellists will progress to the Semi-finals of the competition, which is being held in Berlin from November 15-22, 2022

Since 2002, the international cello competition in memory of the great virtuoso Emanuel Feuermann has been held in Berlin, organized by Kronberg Academy and the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK Berlin). Coming off of an eight-year hiatus, the 2022 Grand Prix Emanuel Feuermann has commenced its fifth edition.

Following successful performances from the ten quarter-finalists, Thursday evening saw six of them qualify to progress into the semi-finals.

Semi-Finalists at Grand Prix Emanuel Feuermann 2022:

Johannes Gray, USA

Christoph Heesch, Germany

Irena Josifoska, Serbia

Keisuke Morita, Japan

Ivan Skanavi, Russia

Benett Tsai, Australia

The six cellists will perform on Saturday at the Berlin University of the Arts concert hall on Hardenberg Strasse. The semi-finalists will play the first movement from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Divertimento for String Trio with violinist Suyeon Kang and violist Vicki Powell of the Boccherini Trio. In addition, they will perform either Joseph Haydn’s Cello Concerto in D major or the Cello Concerto in B flat major by Michael Haydn with Kammerphilharmonie Metamorphosen Berlin.

Three chosen finalists will perform at Berlin’s Haus des Rundfunks (Broadcasting House) on November 21. The finalists can chose cello concertos by either Edward Elgar, Dmitri Shostakovich or Robert Schumann together with the Rundfunk- Sinfonieorchester Berlin directed by Joseph Bastian.

Prize winners will be awarded up to €15,000 in prize money and will receive professional development support for their future musical careers. The competition will conclude with concerts by the prize winners on November 22, Emanuel Feuermann’s birthday.

The 2022 jury includes Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Karine Georgian, David Geringas, Jens Peter Maintz, Jérôme Pernoo, Torleif Thedéen, Raimund Trenkler, and Hillel Zori.

From 2002 to 2014, the cello competition was held in Berlin every four years, accompanied with multiple concerts leading up to the event. The competition was named after Emanuel Feuermann, who was a professor at Berlin University of the Arts until he was forced to emigrate in 1933. The first Grand Prix was held 20 years ago to mark Feuermann’s centenary.