Prizewinners Awarded at the Prague Spring International Music Competition

Sào Soulez Larivière of France won the viola category, while Gonçalo Nova of Portugal won the trombone category

The 2023 edition of the Prague Spring International Music Competition, in the Czech Republic, has recently come to a close. The competition is held annually, with two instrument categories being selected each year; in 2023, the two instruments selected were trombone and viola.

The three violists to advance to the final appeared in the Dvořák Hall at Prague's Rudolfinum, with each player performing two set works: Ligeti's Viola Sonata and Martinů's Rhapsody-Concerto for viola and orchestra.

First Prize went to the French violist Sào Soulez Larivière, who will return to perform at the next edition of the competition. He also received a cash prize of CZK 250,000. Korean violist Kyungsik Shin took Second Prize of CZK 150,000. The third candidate was Korean violist Eric Seohyun Moon, who was sadly disqualified because he did not perform the Ligeti Sonata from memory as requested.

The trombone category was won by Gonçalo Nova of Portugal, with Juhyeon Seo of Korea in second place and Tim Ouwejan of the Netherlands taking third.

The viola jury was comprised of Antoine Tamestit (Chair), Kristina Fialova, Gareth Knox, Pavel Nikl, Cynthia Phelps, Lars Anders Tomter, and Tabea Zimmerman. On the trombone jury were Zdzislaw Stolarczyk (Chair), Zoltan Kiss, Robert Kozanek, Fabrice Millischer, Lukas Motka, Oliver Siefert, and Jeremy Wilson.

You can watch the recording of the viola final below.