Henri Marteau International Violin Competition Names Winners

Dutch violinist Hawijch Elders has won first prize and a €10,000 cash award

Celebrating its eighth edition this year, the Henri Marteau International Violin Competition is held triennially in Bavaria, Germany. The competition is open to violinists of all nationalities, who are aged 25 and under.

Selected from six finalists for the competition, 24-year-old violinist Hawijch Elders was awarded first place and a €10,000 cash prize. She will also be involved in a broadcast production with Bayerischer Rundfunk, a CD release, and various concert engagements. 

Currently an Artist in Residence at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, Elders studies with Augustin Dumay. Her other mentors have included Ilya Grubert, Benzion Shamir, Ivry Gitlis, Shlomo Mintz, and Pierre Amoyal.

In 2021, she won first place at the Leonid Kogan International Competition for Young Violinists, and has been a laureate of the Odessa, Sibelius, and Wieniawski International Violin Competitions.

Second prize of the competition and €7,500 went to Chinese violinist Xunyue Zang, while third prize and €5,000 was awarded to Julian Walder from Austria. Like Elders, they will also receive concert opportunities. 

The 2023 jury comprised Gilbert Varga, Michael Frischenschlager, Erika Geldschletzer, Ilya Kaler, Nam Yun Kim, Natalia Lomeiko, Silvia Marcovici, Kurt Saßmannshaus, Alexandra Soumm, and Ingolf Turbam.