The Second Prize and Audience Prize went to pianist Amir Ron. Born in 2001, Ron is already an established soloist and chamber musician, performing in Israel, Europe, and the United States. A recent Master’s graduate of The Juilliard School, he previously studied at the Givatayim Conservatory and the Buchmann–Mehta School of Music, working with prominent teachers including Asaf Zohar and Arie Vardi. Ron has appeared as soloist with leading Israeli orchestras such as the Jerusalem Symphony and Israel Symphony, and given recitals at venues including the Dame Myra Hess Memorial Concerts and The Jerusalem Music Centre. Also active as a chamber musician and a Ravinia Steans Music Institute fellow, he has performed at the Ravinia Festival and numerous European venues, and was invited to the Marlboro Music Festival in 2025. A multiple prizewinner in Israeli competitions and a recipient of major scholarships, he has taken part in masterclasses with artists such as Murray Perahia, András Schiff, Richard Goode, and Menachem Pressler.
BONN, GERMANY
Rising Stars Shine at 2025 Telekom Beethoven Competition in Bonn
This year’s edition deepens its focus on Beethoven while introducing a special prize and wider visibility for works by women composers, supported by exhibitions and a rich cultural program.
The 2025 Telekom Beethoven Competition in Bonn concluded with an exceptionally high artistic standard and a strongly international profile, underlining its status as one of the leading platforms for young pianists devoted to Beethoven’s music.
Out of 130 applications from 27 countries, 28 pianists from 14 nations were invited to Bonn, with 23 ultimately travelling to compete. Over four demanding rounds, a nine-member international jury assessed the candidates, focusing not only on technical mastery but also on stylistic understanding, musical depth, and interpretative imagination in Beethoven’s works.
London-based pianist Seth Schultheis won First Prize as well as the Special Prize for Chamber Music. Based in London and currently an Aud Jebsen Fellow at the Royal Academy of Music, Schultheis is noted for his stylistic versatility and commitment to contemporary music. Following his success in Bonn, he performed Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with the Beethoven Orchestra Bonn under Dirk Kaftan at the Beethovenhalle New Year’s Concert. Upcoming engagements include recitals and concerto appearances throughout Germany, performances in Munich, Kiel, and New York, a continued fellowship with the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble, and an 11-concert tour in Germany with the Klassische Philharmonie Bonn, culminating in a debut recital at Wigmore Hall.
Seth Schultheis, 1st prize winner
Amir Ron (2nd prize winner) with Oksana Lyniv (Conductor) and Beethoven Orchester Bonn
Jonas Stark, born 1998 in Saarlouis, Germany, received Third Prize and has already built a substantial international career. He has performed in all major German cities and across Europe, Russia, China, the Philippines, and Australia. As concerto soloist, Stark has appeared with the Beethoven Orchestra Bonn, the German Radio Philharmonic, the Vienna Symphony, and other leading ensembles under conductors including Marin Alsop, Oksana Lyniv, and Kahchun Wong. His recent competition successes include First Prize at the Hong Kong International Piano Competition (2022), Second Prize at the International Beethoven Competition Vienna (2025), and further distinctions at the ARD Competition in Munich and Deutscher Musikwettbewerb. A Young Steinway Artist since 2021, Stark studied in Saarbrücken, London, and Hanover, and now holds a teaching position at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover.
Jonas Stark, 3rd prize winner
Founded in 2005 by Pavel Gililov, who also serves as artistic director and jury president, the Telekom Beethoven Competition is open to pianists aged 18 to 32 and is organized by Deutsche Telekom in cooperation with the Beethovenfest Bonn. Gililov emphasizes that convincing Beethoven playing requires maturity, experience, and historical understanding: performers must grasp the composer’s roots in Bonn, his connection to the ideals of the French Revolution, and the combination of heroism, lyricism, drama, and mystery in his music.
A major feature of the 2025 edition was the expanded inclusion of works by women composers. The repertoire now highlights historically neglected female voices, and a new Special Prize for the best performance of a work by a woman composer was introduced as a deliberate incentive for competitors to engage deeply with this repertoire. Parallel to the competition, an exhibition on women composers was presented at Deutsche Telekom’s headquarters, integrated into a broader cultural program between the competition rounds.
The final round was conducted by acclaimed Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv, whose appointment, Gililov notes, reflects both her outstanding artistry and a gesture of solidarity with her home country during a time of crisis.
The three prizewinners receive not only financial awards but also important concert engagements, including appearances at the Beethovenfest Bonn in 2026.
Prizes
First Prize: Seth Schultheis (25), London
Second Prize: Amir Ron (24), New York
Third Prize: Jonas Stark (27), Hannover
Jury
Robert Levin, Kim Daejin, David Mareček, Ashley Wass, Dina Yoffe, Epifanio Comis, Akiko Ebi, Pavel Gililov, Laura Richaud
Artists
Beethoven Orchester Bonn/ Oksana Lyniv, Conductor
Beethoven- Trio Bonn
© WFIMC 2026 / FR
