V Ilona Fehér International
Violin Competition
4-14 July 2024
Budapest (Hungary)
Invitation
I.THE COMPETITION
The Ilona Fehér International Violin Competition, for violinists under 22, was founded in
2017 by leading Hungarian violinists Katalin Kokas and Barnabás Kelemen. The
contestants are judged by an international jury comprising famous violinists and music
educators. Masterclasses led by jury members form an integral part of the competition,
and the contestants may also attend the rehearsals and concerts of Festival Academy
Budapest 2024, the international chamber music festival hosted by Katalin Kokas and
Barnabás Kelemen themselves, which runs in parallel with the violin competition at the
Liszt Academy. The aim of the competition is threefold: first, to give young violinists the
chance to exhibit their talents to the world; second, to provide them with the opportunity
to continue their learning directly through the masterclasses and, in a more holistic sense,
by experiencing the concerts of world-famous musicians; third, to help them better
appreciate their roles in one of the most beautiful traditions of classical music. As the co-
founders put it:
“If we take a look at the rich and colorful tradition of violin playing, with
performers like Joseph Joachim, Carl Flesch, Ede Reményi, Leopold Auer, Jenő
Hubay and all the other Hungarian legends, including Ilona Fehér, the different
schools from Israel to Russia and Germany and, of course, Hungary, we feel the
challenge and beauty of the past, and we are happy to preserve it and pass it on
to younger generations.”
II. TIMELINE
20 November 2023 Publication of the online application form
20 April 2024 Date for applications
1 May 2024 Release of pre-selection decisions
1 June 2024 Release of the detailed competition schedule
15 June 2024 Last date for submission of changes in the participants’
competition program and the scanned scores of the freely
chosen pieces
4 July 2024 Arrival and personal registration (by 5 pm the latest)
4 July 2022 Opening ceremony and concert (the order of the
contestants’ performances will be drawn during the
opening ceremony by the youngest participant in each age
group).
4-14 July 2024 Competition in 3 rounds
14 July 2024 Awards ceremony and gala concert (attendance is
compulsory for all finalists)
14–18 July 2024 Masterclasses by the jury members
III. LOCATIONS
Budapest Music Centre
IV. JURY
Head of the Jury:
Shlomo Mintz (ISR)
Jury members:
Peter Herresthal (NOR)
Dora Schwarzberg (AUS)
Alissa Margulis (RUS)
Qian Zhou (CHN)
Magdalena Ursu (ROM)
Keller András (HUN)
Perényi Eszter (HUN)
Andreas Veizinger (AUS)
Pauk György (GBR, HUN)
Dmitry Sitkovetsky (RUS)
V. AGE GROUPS
Age Group 1: under 15
(Special prizes for applicants under 11 years old)
Age group 2: 15-22 years old
Criterion: those who compete in age groups 1-2 of the Hubay Violin Competition will
automatically be placed in age group 1 of the Fehér Ilona Violin Competition,
those who enter the Hubay Violin Competition in age groups 3-4 will automatically be
placed in age group 2 of the Fehér Ilona Violin Competition
VI. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS
AGE GROUP 1
PRE-SELECTION
YouTube Video
The application video must include three pieces, two of which must be freely
chosen. The pieces chosen should be of different character or style. The third
compulsory piece is Bruch’s Kol Nidrei. The pieces performed in the video can
form part of the competition program.
FIRST ROUND
Program:
The first movement of one of the following sonatas:
• Ludwig van Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 1 in D major, Op. 12, No. 1
• Ludwig van Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Violin Sonata No. 18 in G major (K. 301)
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Violin Sonata No. 21 in E minor (K. 304)
• Franz Schubert: Violin Sonata No. 1 in D major (D. 384)
• Franz Schubert: Violin Sonata No. 3 in G minor (D. 408)
AND
• one freely chosen virtuoso piece.
SECOND ROUND
Time limit for the performance: 25 mins.
Program:
• Two movements (or more) from a solo fantasia by Georg Philipp Telemann
OR
one or two movements from J.S. Bach’s solo sonatas or partitas
AND
• one freely chosen first or last (but not slow) movement from a Romantic
concerto.
AND
two freely choosen Bartok duos (upper violin solo)
AND
A selection of works by several Hungarian composers composed on
the occasion of the Hungarian Holocaust Memorial Year.
(The pieces will be sent to the contestants after 15 May)
THIRD ROUND
Program:
One complete concerto selected from the list below, accompanied by a
chamber orchestra without a conductor:
• Antonio Vivaldi: Violin Concerto in E major, Op. 8, No. 1 (“Spring”, RV 269)
• Antonio Vivaldi: Violin Concerto in G minor, Op. 8, No. 2 (“Summer”, RV 315)
• Antonio Vivaldi: Violin Concerto in F major, Op. 8, No. 3 (“Autumn”, RV 293)
• Antonio Vivaldi: Violin Concerto in F minor, Op. 8, No. 4 (“Winter”, RV 297)
• Johann Sebastian Bach: Violin Concerto in A minor (BWV 1041)
• Johann Sebastian Bach: Violin Concerto in E major (BWV 1042)
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 3 in G major (K. 216)
Haydn: Violin Concerto in C major No. 1 (Hob. VIIa:1)
Haydn: Violin Concerto in G major No. 4 (Hob. VIIa:4)
The competition program should be submitted as part of the registration,
but changes in the program can be made by 15 June 2024.
AGE GROUP 2
PRE-SELECTION
YouTube Video
The application video must include three pieces, two of which must be freely
chosen. The pieces chosen should be of different character or style. The third
compulsory piece is Bloch's 'Nigun' from Baal Shem. The pieces performed in the
video can form part of the competition program.
FIRST ROUND
Program:
• A freely chosen piece from Niccolò Paganini’s 24 Caprices
AND
A freely chosen movement from one of the following sonatas
• Ludwig van Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 12, No. 3
• Ludwig van Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 7 in A major Op 12, No. 2
• Ludwig van Beethoven: Violin Sonata No. 8 in G major, Op. 30, No. 3
SECOND ROUND
Time limit for the performance: 30 mins.
Program:
• one freely chosen first or last (but not slow) movement from a Romantic
concerto.
AND
• one or more movements from a solo sonata/partita by J. S. Bach
AND
two freely choosen Bartok duos (upper violin solo)
AND
A selection of works by several Hungarian composers composed on
the occasion of the Hungarian Holocaust Memorial Year.
(The pieces will be sent to the contestants after 15 May)
THIRD ROUND
Program:
One complete concerto selected from the list below, accompanied by a
chamber orchestra without a conductor:
Haydn: Violin Concerto in C major No. 1 (Hob. VIIa:1)
Haydn: Violin Concerto in G major No. 4 (Hob. VIIa:4)
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 1 in B flat major (K. 207)
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 2 in D major (K. 211)
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 4 in D major (K. 218)
• Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major (K. 219)
The competition program should be submitted as part of the registration,
but changes in the program can be made by 15 May 2024.
VII. PRIZES
Total Prize Money: € 10 000
Special prizes will be announced after 1 June 2024 as offers arrive.
VIII. TERMS OF APPLICATION
• Applicants may participate in the competition only in their own age group.
• The registration fee must be transferred by the required date (see paragraphs III
and X).
• A total of 70 contestants will be admitted into the first round.
• The detailed schedule of the three rounds for the two age groups will be
released on 1 June 2024.
• Contestants must register for the competition in person on 4 July 2024 (by 5 pm).
The order of the contestants’ performances will be drawn during the opening
ceremony by the youngest participant in each age group.
• The use of Urtext scores for the preparation is highly recommended. The scores
of the freely chosen pieces in scanned form must be sent by 15 June 2024 to
competition@festivalacademy.org. Repetiteurs must play from official scores (not
photocopies), which must be shown during the registration.
• The organizers will provide repetiteurs if requested for an additional fee of € 75.
The fee includes one rehearsal per round as well as the performances. The fee for
the repetiteur must be sent together with the registration fee.
• Piano rehearsals commence on 4 July 2024.
• Contestants must register on arrival before each round and for each rehearsal.
IX. APPLICATION PROCESS
Applications are to be submitted via sending an e-mail to
competition@festivalacademy.org from 20 November 2023 with the following:
1. The YouTube link for the application video consisting of the performance of two freely
chosen pieces.
2. A recommendation written in English by a violin teacher, in pdf format.
3. A short CV in English.
4. A photo of the applicant (minimum size: 600 dpi).
5. The complete competition program of the contestant.
6. Confirmation of payment of the application fee.
X. APPLICATION FEE
Age Group 1: € 150
Age Group 2: € 200
The application fee includes
• participation in the competition;
• participation in the masterclass of one of the jury members after the competition;
• free attendance at all the programs of Festival Academy Budapest, the international
chamber music festival hosted by Katalin Kokas and Barnabás Kelemen (50%
discount is offered to parents or chaperones of the competitors for all programs of
the festival).
The application fee is to be payed via bank transfer according to the following details:
Account holder: Fesztiválakadémia Nonprofit Kft.
• Bank account number: 10300002-10653465-48820019
• IBAN: HU92103000021065346548820019
• SWIFT (BIC): MKKB HU HB
• Name of bank: MKB Bank
• Address of bank: Váci u. 38. H-1056 Budapest (Hungary)
• Title: name of the applicant, competition fee
When transferring from abroad, foreign bank charges are to be paid by the applicant, and
to be added to the transfer amount. The application fee is non-refundable. However,
those applicants who are not selected for the first round of the competition may
participate in the masterclass of one of the jury members, the folk music and folk art
programs, and attend all the programs of Festival Academy Budapest for free.
XI. ACCOMMODATION
The organisers are offering discounted accommodation in the Ráday House, for more
information please contact competition@festivalacademy.org.
XII. CONTACT
Fanny Gurgel
+36 20 203 2724
competition@festivalacademy.org
