Sibelius Violin Competition Highlights Modern Composers in 2025 Edition

The competition's finalists will play one of four concertos by Unsuk Chin, Oliver Knussen, Magnus Lindberg, or Kaija Saariaho

Open to violinists under the age of 30, the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition will take place from May 18 - 29, 2025 in Helsinki, Finland. This edition of the competition marks a major update in the program of the final rounds.

In order to encourage more violinists to play more modern works, finalists will now play one of four pre-selected concertos composed between 1994 and 2015 by Unsuk Chin, Oliver Knussen, Magnus Lindberg, or Kaija Saariaho. This will be in addition to the Sibelius Violin Concerto

“In many major competitions, the final programme is very traditional. The most recent composers are often Stravinsky or Bartók,” says John Storgårds, chairman of the Sibelius Competition jury. “This competition is an excellent opportunity to turn this new page. It is also a good message from Finland to the world of music!”

Storgårds adds that preparing for the competition is an important opportunity for participants to add new works to their repertoire.

“Every credible musician must be interested in the music of our time. It will be interesting to see which of the new concertos turns out to be the most popular!”

The final rounds will be played with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Pekka Kuusisto and the Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Dima Slobodeniouk.

Contemporary music will also be heard in the semi-finals of the competition, where the mandatory piece is a work commissioned from Outi Tarkiainen by the Sibelius Violin Competition.

Registration for the competition will close on January 29, 2025. Read more and apply here.