Prizewinners Announced at the 4th International Krzysztof Penderecki Cello Competition

The Czech cellist Vilém Vlček received the competition’s top prize, which includes a concerto performance and carries a cash value of PLN 80,000

The fourth edition of the International Krzysztof Penderecki Cello Competition, which was held in Krakow, Poland, has recently come to a close. 45 competitors aged between 16 and 30 were selected for the first of the three rounds.

Just four young cellists proceeded to the final round, where they each performed a concerto of their own choice — as well as a cello arrangement of Penderecki’s Viola Concerto — alongside the Sinfonia Cracovia Orchestra.

The Czech cellist Vilém Vlček received the competition’s top prize, which carries a cash value of PLN 80,000. In addition, Vlček won the Penderecki Special Prize for the best concerto performance. As part of the prizes, he will appear with the Karol Szymanowski Philharmonic in Krakow.

As a soloist, Vlček has appeared with the Czech Philharmonic, the Basel Chamber Orchestra, the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra, and the Prague Symphony Orchestra. He is a laureate of a number of competitions, including the Liezen Cello Competition and the Competition of the Czech Conservatories.

Second Prize went to the Korean cellist Sang Hyeok Park, Third Prize to Maria Salvatori of Italy, and Fourth Prize to the French/Swiss cellist Cyprien Lengagne. The Orlen S.A. Special Prize for the best Polish participant went to 20-year-old Krzysztof Michalski.

In 2023, the jury comprised Zdzisław Łapiński (head), Elżbieta Penderecka (honorary head and Penderecki’s widow), Julius Berger, Anne Gastinel, Liwu Ji, Kangho Lee, Ivan Monighetti, Arto Noras, Csaba Onczay, and Amit Peled.