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Markneukirchen, Part II: Viola takes center stage

Competitions

Following its violin category, three young violists perform- without conductor

Of the 38 participants in the Markneukirchen 2025 International Instrumental Competition for Viola, the international jury selected three outstanding young soloists for the final round on Friday, May 16, 2025 in the Markneukirchen Music Hall. There, Brian Isaacs (25), Antoine Thévoz (19) and Carla Usberti (23) once again presented themselves to the seven-member jury and the audience, who were also invited to vote for their favorite and award an audience prize donated by Sparkasse Vogtland. With the concertos in D major by Franz Anton Hoffmeister and Carl Stamitz, the best of the top-class field of participants once again demonstrated their masterly skills and delighted the numerous guests. They were accompanied and musically supported by the Vogtland Philharmonic Orchestra Greiz/Reichenbach, which was conducted by the finalists themselves for the first time in the competition's history. 

Carla Usberti, Winner of the Viola Competition

Carla Usberti, born 2001 in Landshut, is a German-French violist. She started playing the piano at the age of 3 and the violin at the age of 5; in 2015 she switched to the viola. She soon took part in several "Jugend musiziert" national competitions and won a first Prize in solo piano, then 2019 a solo prize in Solo. In 2018 she was awarded the Youth Culture Prize of the Rotary Club Landshut.
After finishing a Bachelor of Music at University of Music and Theater in Munich with Professor Roland Glassl, Carla Usberti won a scholarship at Villa Musica in Mainz. In 2021, she was awarded Third Prize of the 1. International Hindemith Viola Competition. 
Carla Usberti received important musical influences at master classes with Tabea Zimmermann, Atar Arad, Hariolf Schlichtig, Lars Anders Tomter and the Quatuor Ébène, among others.

Antoine Thévoz (Second Prize)

Brian Isaacs (Third Prize)

Prizes :
First Prize: Carla Usberti (24), Landshut 
Second Prize: Antoine Thévoz (20), Lausanne
Third Prize: Brian Isaacs (25), Berlin

Jury: 
Simone von Rahden, Pauline Sachse, Françoise Gneri, Katarzyna Budnik, Barbara Westphal, Julius Berger, Lena Enkels, German Tcakulov


Artists:
Vogtland Philharmonic Orchestra Greiz-Reichenbach, conducted by the candidates

 

©WFIMC 2025