Competition Rules

Guadagnini Foundation International Violin Competition Stuttgart

The Guadagnini Foundation will hold the 3rd International Violin Competition Stuttgart („the competition“) from 21 to 28 February 2027.

1. Eligibility

Violinists of all nationalities born after 31 July 1997 are eligible to participate.

2. Registration deadline

Registration can be completed online at www.muvac.com from 1 February 2026. The registration deadline is 31 July 2026: https://www.muvac.com/de/compe...

3. Notification of admission to the competition

All registered participants will receive notification of their admission to the competition by email by 1 October 2026.

4. Confirmation of participation

All those admitted to the competition must confirm their participation in the competition by email by 14 October 2026.

5. Competition event

The competition will take place in Stuttgart from 21 to 28 February 2027.

6. Registration at the competition office

All competition participants must register at the competition office, State University of Music and Performing Arts, Urbanstraße, at 6 p.m. on 21 February 2027.

7. Competition programme

1st round of the competition

I. Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
One of the following Sonatas for solo violin:
• Sonata for Solo Violin No.1 in G minor, BWV 1001, 1. Adagio
• Sonata for Solo Violin No. 2 in A minor, BWV 1003, 1. Adagio

II. Béla Bartók (1881-1945)
• Sonata for solo violin, Sz 117, 2. Fuga

III. Gabriel Dupont (1878-1914)
• Journée de printemps pour violin et piano, 1901
No. 1 Au matin
No. 2 Au soir

2nd round of the competition

I. One of the following Sonatas: Robert Schumann (1810-1856)
• Violin Sonata Nr. 1 in A minor, op. 105
• Violin Sonata Nr. 2 in D minor, op. 121 (without repeats in the 1st and 4th movements)
• Violin sonata Nr. 3 in A-minor, WoO 2

II. One of the following works:
Niccolò Paganini (1782-1840)
• Le streghe, Op. 8, MS 19
• I Palpiti, Op. 13, MS 77 (original version)
• Nel cor piu non mi sento, MS 44

Heinrich Wilhelm Ernst (1814-1865)
• Fantaisie brillante sur la Marche et la Romance d´Otello de Rossini, op.11

Eugène Ysaÿe (1858-1931)
• Paganini-Variations op. posth.

III. Commissioned composition
Avner Dorman (*1975)
• „Schwung“ for solo violin
The score will be sent along with notification of admission to the competition.

Final

Part 1

Franz Schubert (1797–1828)
• Rondo A major, D 438
with the Cuarteto Arriaga

Part 2

One of the following works:
• Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
Concerto for violin and orchestra in D major, op.77

• Antonin Dvořák (1841–1904)
Concerto for violin and orchestra in A minor, op.53

• Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (1809-1847)
Concerto for violin and orchestra in E minor, op. 64

• Robert Schumann (1810-1856) Concerto for violin and orchestra in D minor, WoO 1


Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra

conducted by Michał Nesterowicz


8. Preliminary rounds of the competition

The preliminary rounds of the competition will take place from 21 February 2027 to 26 February 2027 at the State University of Music and Performing Arts, Urbanstraße 25, 70182 Stuttgart.
The first round is scheduled for Monday, 22 February 2027, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. and for Tuesday, 23 February 2027, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
The second round will take place on Wednesday, 24 February 2027, from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

9. Final round of the competition

The first final round with the Cuarteto Arriaga de Banco de España is scheduled for Friday, 26 February 2027 at the State University of Music and Performing Arts.
On Saturday, 27 February 2027, the second final round with the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra will take place in the Beethoven Hall of the Liederhalle Stuttgart, followed by the award ceremony.

10. Closing concert

The closing concert will take place on Sunday, 28 February 2027, at 8 p.m. in the Beethoven Hall of the Liederhalle Stuttgart.

11. Prizes

The following prizes will be awarded to the winners of the competition.

1st prize: €35,000 and, for a period of usually three years, the loan of a violin by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini from 1746.

2nd prize: €16,000

3rd prize: €10,000

4th prize: €6,000

Special prize: €3,000


As of January 2026