Young talents inspired by Bartók

The 2023 Bartók World Competition began on September 3, with the semi-finals. A total of 32 violinists from 16 countries around the world competed for the awards. Almost one hundred young talents from 26 countries applied for the spring pre-selection round. 

Dr. Andrea Vigh, the rector of the Liszt Academy stressed that the main mission of the competition named after Bartók was to find talents worthy of the artist and to kickstart their careers – after all, every music competition is about discovery, about finding outstanding talents. "In the past week, we experienced yet again that there is no shortage of talent, and the most talented are inspired by Bartók's music even today."  

World-famous American violinist Daniel Phillips, the president of the jury, noted that Bartók's oeuvre plays an important role in his own performances; therefore, he was excited to hear excellent violinists perform in the previous week as well as musicians who were interested in Bartók's artistic achievements. Phillips added that understanding and performing Bartók's works was an integral part of the complex and deep repertoire of the competition, as a result of which the works of the Hungarian composer may be included more often in the repertoire of violinists around the world.

The candidates had to perform at each round of the Competition a compulsory piece by Bartók; but although the final round repertoire included two Bartók concerti, none was played at the end: in the Grand Hall of the Liszt Academy, the 6 finalists performed one concerto each by Sibelius, Beethoven, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky.

The international jury, consisting of world-renowned artists, as well as the partners offering special prizes, then decided on the awards, which were announced and presented at the gala concert the following day.

Lilia Pocitari, the winner of the first prize, was born in 1997. She is currently studying for a Master's Degree at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin with Professor Ulf Wallin. Second prize-winner Tomotaka Seki was born in 1998. Tomotaka currently continues his studies at the Tokyo College of Music as an Honorary Scholarship Student under the tutelage of Koichiro Harada and Mayuko Kamio. Third prize-winner Maya Alexandra Kasprzak, was born in 2005. Since 2022, she has been studying with Professor Tobias Feldmann at the University of Music and Theater in Leipzig.