International Joseph Joachim Competition for Chamber Music Names 2025 Winners

Vienna’s Motus Quartet has won first place with a €10,000 cash prize

Held every three years at The University of Music Franz Liszt Weimar, the International Joseph Joachim Chamber Music Competition has recently concluded its 10th edition for String Trios, String Quartets, Piano Trios, and Piano Quartets. 

First prize with €10,000 went to the Vienna-based Motus Quartet, which also won the €1,000 special prize for the best interpretation of a work from the “Early Classic” category. 

Currently studying at the Vienna University of Music and Performing Arts with Johannes Meissl, the quartet members are violinists Tim Pieter De Vries and Karla Križ, violist Erin Carter Pitts, and cellist Domonkos Peter Hartmann. 

The €5,000 second prize was awarded to the Malion Quartet, which comprises violinists Alex Jussow and Miki Nagahara, violist Lilya Tymchyshyn, and cellist Bettina Kessler. 

Finally, the €2,500 third prize went to the Davidoff Trio, which comprises violinist Johannes Wendel, cellist Christoph Lamprecht, and pianist Yona Sophia Jutzi. 

Sponsored by the Neuen Liszt Foundation, the last two special prizes of €1,000 each went to the Paddington Trio for best interpretation of a piece “Composed after 1970,” and to Trio Sheliak for being “a particularly talented ensemble.”

Chaired by Anne-Kathrin Lindig, the 2025 jury comprised Annette von Hehn, Per Lundberg, Johannes Meissl, Angelika Merkle, Hartmut Rohde, Martin Rummel, and Naoko Shimizu. 

“It was a joy to perform some of the greatest music ever written for so many chamber music lovers and to have our hard work recognized by a jury of discerning ears,” the Malion Quartet posted on Facebook. “A HUGE congratulations to our new friends … and to all the groups that participated. You gave us so much hope and inspiration, and we hope to meet you all again soon.”

For more on each of the winners, click here.