International Johannes Brahms Competition Announce 2024 Winners

Across the categories of violin, viola, piano, and chamber music, the competition has awarded 12 prize winners 

The 30th edition of the International Johannes Brahms Competition was held from September 1–8, 2024, for piano, violin, viola, and chamber music. The violin and viola finalists performed with the Euro Symphony SFK and conductor Ernest Hoetzl. 

On the final day, the public gala concert and award ceremony were held at Austria's Casino of Velden am Wörthersee.

The 2024 winners in each of the four categories are:

Violin: 

1st prize: Stefan Aprodu (Romania)

2nd prize: Ryota Higashi (Japan)

3rd prize: Eduard Steude (Austria)

Viola:

1st prize: Hiroki Kasai (Japan)

2nd prize: Zeyang Kan (China)

3rd prize: Otoha Tabata (Japan)

Piano:

1st prize: Timur Mustakimov (U.S.A.)

2nd prize: Elia Cecino (Italy)

3rd prize: Hiroshi Katsurahara (Japan)

Chamber Music:

1st prize: Duo Droom-Kunst (Junnosuke Kikuno and Michiko Yoshimura/Japan)

2nd prize: Duo Suono (Sato Hiroki and Eimi Wakui/Japan)

3rd prize: Accio Piano Trio (Christina Scheicher, Anne Sophie Keckeis, and Clemens Böck/Austria)

In the piano, violin, and viola categories, first prize is awarded with €3,000, second prize is €1,500, and third prize is awarded with €750. In the chamber music category, first prize is €4,000, second prize is €2,000, and third prize is €1,000.

The special audience prize of €750 was awarded to Aprodu. As first prize winner on violin, Aprodu will also perform the Brahms Violin Concerto in D major, op.77 with the Savaria Symphony Orchestra on February 23, 2025, at Vienna’s Ehrbar Hall. 

Additionally, as the first prize winner in piano, Mustakimov will have the chance to perform the Brahms Piano Concerto No.1 with the North Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, on April 19, 2025 in Prague’s Smetana Hall.

The 2024 jury for violin comprised Aric Braude, Linnea Hurttia, Anna Kandinskaya, JongEun Lee, and Orfej Simic. The viola jury included Sophie Arbuckle, Krzysztof Komendarek-Tymendorf, Ivan Podyachev, Nora Romanoff-Schwarzberg, and Qi Wang. 

The piano jury comprised Lehel Both, Johannes Kropfitsch, Jura Margulis, Shiran Wang, and Zhang Wei. For chamber music, the jury included Jiří Hlaváč, Catalin Ilea, Elisabeth-Jess-Kropfitsch, Qi Wang, and Byron Yue.

“We would like to thank all participants for their efforts and moving performances, as well as for the friendly atmosphere among the participants,” the competition organizers posted on Facebook. “Our heartfelt thanks also go to our sponsors and everyone else who helped make this cultural highlight possible!”