Prizewinners Announced at the Gustav Mahler Cello Competition for 2025

American-Czech cellist Joshua Kováč was named as the overall winner

Organized under the auspices of the Gustav Mahler Institute Prague and the Gustav Mahler Philharmonic Jihlava, the Gustav Mahler International Cello Competition recently concluded its fifth edition online.

18-year-old American-Czech cellist Joshua Kováč was named the overall winner following his performance of Prokofiev’s Sinfonia Concertante and Bach’s Sixth Suite in D major. He received prize money of CZK 30,000. Kováč also received the prize of the Gustav Mahler Philharmonic Jihlava, and will make an appearance with the orchestra in the future.

25-year-old Bobby Kostadinov of Germany won the honorary prize of the chief conductor of the Gustav Mahler Philharmonic Jihlava.

In addition, 10-year-old Czech cellist Anna Bumbálková won the prize for best Czech competitor, an honorable mention for her performance of a work by Daniel van Goenz, and an invitation to the Visegrad Youth Music Academy 2025 — to be held in Pezinok, Slovakia.

A current student of Daniel Veis at Park University, Joshua Kováč has received a number of honors — including prizes at the International Young Artist Concerto Competition, Ronald Sachs International Music Competition, Nashville Symphony Curb Concerto Competition, Gustav Mahler International Cello Competition, and the MTNA National String Competition.

In 2025, the competition jury comprised Jan Pospíšil (chair), Petr Nouzovský, and Jiří Jakeš (chief conductor of the Gustav Mahler Philharmonic Jihlava).

You can hear Kováč's winning Prokofiev performance below.