17th International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition | 8-25 October 2026
Organised by Towarzystwo Muzyczne im. Henryka Wieniawskiego w Poznaniu (Henryk Wieniawski Musical Society of Poznań), 17th International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition is open to violin players born between 1996 and 2008.
The chairman of the eleven-member Jury will be Bartłomiej Nizioł.
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First Prize: 60,000 Euro (gross)
Second Prize: 30,000 Euro (gross)
Third Prize: 15,000 Euro (gross)
Remaining Laureates: 5,000 Euro (gross)
The list of of extra-statutory prizes to be awarded at the Competition will be announced prior to the opening of the event.
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Qualification for the Competition takes the form of a two-tier pre-selection process. In stage one, the Jury performs judgement subject to submitted recordings. The recordings must cover the performance of three compositions of choice representing three different musical periods, solo or with piano, of combined duration not shorter than 15 and not longer than 30 minutes, and recorded not earlier than 1 December 2024. The sound plane of the files submitted must not be edited. Permanent visibility of the entire person of the performer is required, with video editing in the form of several takes permissible. Particular pieces are independent, and can be recorded at different times and locations. Submission of a recording of one movement of a cyclic composition is also possible. Except for sonatas and contemporary pieces, compositions should be performed from memory.
Candidates to be awarded highest scores by the Jury in stage 1 of the pre-selection process, are invited to take part in in-person auditions. The programme of in-person auditions consists of the following:
- N. Paganini: one caprice of choice.
- J. S. Bach: one of the following sets of sonatas and partitas for solo violin (performed without repetitions):
a. Adagio and Presto from Sonata in G Minor, BWV 1001
b. Siciliana and Presto from Sonata in G Minor, BWV 1001,
c. Allemanda, Double, Corrente, Double from Partita in B Minor, BWV 1002,
d. Sarabanda, Double, Tempo di Borea, Double from Partita in B Minor, BWV 1002,
e. Grave and Allegro from Sonata in A Minor, BWV 1003,
f. Andante and Allegro from Sonata in A Minor, BWV 1003,
g. Allemanda and Corrente from Partita in D Minor, BWV 1004,
h. Sarabanda and Gigue from Partita in D Minor, BWV 1004,
i. Adagio and Allegro assai from Sonata in C Major, BWV 1005,
j. Largo and Allegro assai from Sonata in C Major, BWV 1005,
k. Preludio and Loure from Partita in E Major, BWV 1006,
l. Loure and Gavotte en Rondeau from Partita in E Major, BWV 1006,
m. Menuett I, Menuett II, Bourrée, Gigue from Partita in E Major, BWV 1006.
3. One of the following compositions or groups of compositions by H. Wieniawski:
a. Polonaise de Concert in D Major, Op. 4,
b. Capriccio-Valse, Op. 7,
c. Romance sans paroles et Rondo élégant, Op. 9,
d. Two mazurkas from Op. 12 and two from Op. 19 (a total of four pieces),
e. Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 15 [Theme original varié, Op. 15],
f. Scherzo-Tarantelle, Op. 16,
g. Légende, Op. 17 and Souvenir de Posen, Op. 3,
h. Fantasia on Themes from Faust, Op.20 [Fantaisie brillante sur de motifs de l’opera Faust de Gounod, Op. 20],
i. Polonaise in A Major, Op. 21 [2me Polonaise brillante Op. 21],
j. Oriental Fantasy, Op. 24 [Fantaisie Orientale, Op. 24].
Application Form, as well as the full version of the Rules and Regulations of the Competition, and the Rules and Regulations of the Pre-Selection Process shall be released in the autumn of 2025. Pre-selection processing fee is 100 Euro (should a Candidate be admitted to the Competition, a separate processing fee of 100 Euro becomes applicable). The deadline for submitting applications and recordings is 9 January 2026 at 23:59 CET. Results of stage one of the pre-selection – the judgement of the recordings submitted – shall be made public not later than on 13 February 2026.
Pre-selection stage two: in-person auditions shall be held at a date between 18 April and 24 May 2026. The list of players qualified for the Competition shall be made public on 1 June 2026.
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8 October: Opening of 17th International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition
9-12 October: Stage 1
13-15 October: Stage 2
16 October: day off
17-18 October: Stage 3
19 October: day off
20-21 October: Stage 4 – Finale A
22 October: Stage 4 – Finale B
23 October: Gala and Prize-Winner Concert
24 October: Prize-Winner Concert no. 2
25 October: Prize-Winner Concert no. 3 (Warsaw)
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The same piece may not be performed in more than one stage of the Competition.
STAGE 1
performance duration: 25-30 minutes
1. One caprice by H. Wieniawski – to be selected from Op. 10 or Op. 18.
2. One of the following compositions or groups of compositions by H. Wieniawski:
a. Polonaise de Concert in D Major, Op. 4,
b. Capriccio-Valse, Op. 7,
c. Romance sans paroles et Rondo élégant, Op. 9,
d. Two mazurkas from Op. 12 and two from Op. 19 (a total of four pieces),
e. Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 15 [Theme original varié, Op. 15],
f. Scherzo-Tarantelle, Op. 16,
g. Légende, Op. 17 and Souvenir de Posen, Op. 3,
h. Fantasia on Themes from Faust, Op.20 [Fantaisie brillante sur de motifs de l’opera Faust de Gounod, Op. 20],
i. Polonaise in A Major, Op. 21 [2me Polonaise brillante, Op. 21],
j. Oriental Fantasy, Op. 24 [Fantaisie Orientale, Op. 24].
3. A composition or compositions of choice for solo violin or violin and piano selected by the participant and originating in the period between the Baroque (use of Baroque bow permissible) and modern day. With cyclic compositions, performance of all movements is not mandatory. Entire performance must not be shorter than 25, nor exceed 30 minutes.
STAGE 2
performance duration: 45-50 minutes
1. One sonata for violin and piano from list A, and one composition from list A.
OR
One sonata for violin and piano from list B, and one composition from list B.
LIST A – Sonatas:
a. B. Bartók - Sonata no.
1,
b. B. Bartók - Sonata no. 2,
c. E. Bloch - Sonata no. 1,
d. C. Debussy - Sonata in G Minor L. 140,
e. E. Elgar - Sonata in E Minor, Op. 82,
f. G. Fauré - Sonata no. 1 in A Major, Op. 13,
g. C. Franck - Sonata in A Major,
h. E. Grieg - Sonata no. 1 in F Major, Op. 8,
i. E. Grieg - Sonata no. 2 in G Major, Op. 13,
j. E. Grieg - Sonata no. 3 in C Minor, Op. 45,
k. L. Janáček - Sonata,
l. F. Poulenc - Sonata,
m. S. Prokofiev - Sonata no. 1 in F Minor, Op. 80,
n. S. Prokofiev - Sonata no. 2 in D Major, Op. 94a,
o. M. Ravel - Sonata in G Major,
p. F. Schubert – Grand Duo in A Major, Op. 162, D. 574,
q. R. Schumann - Sonata No. 1 in A Minor, Op. 105,
r. R. Schumann - Sonata no. 2 in D Minor, Op. 121,
s. V. Silvestrov - Sonata Post Scriptum.
LIST A – Additional compositions:
a. G. Bacewicz - Mazovian Dance,
b. G. Bacewicz - Slavonic Dance,
c. G. Bacewicz - Partita (1955),
d. S. Laks - Polish Suite,
e. K. Lipiński - Rondo alla polacca, Op. 7,
f. K. Lipiński - Polonaise in A Major no. 1, Op. 9,
g. K. Lipiński - Polonaise in E Minor no. 2, Op. 9,
h. W. Lutosławski - Partita,
i. W. Lutosławski - Subito,
j. K. Meyer - Capriccio interrotto, Op. 93,
k. K. Penderecki - Cadenza,
l. K. Penderecki - La Follia,
m. K. Szymanowski - Romance, Op. 23,
n. K. Szymanowski - Nocturne and Tarantella, Op. 28,
o. K. Szymanowski - Mythes, Op. 30 (all three pieces),
p. A. Tansman - 5 pieces for violin and piano,
q. R. Twardowski - Spanish Fantasy,
r. M. Weinberg - Rhapsody on Moldavian Themes, Op. 47 no. 3.
LIST B – Sonatas:
a. G. Bacewicz - Sonata no.
4,
b. Z. Noskowski - Sonata in A Minor,
c. I. J. Paderewski - Sonata in A Minor, Op. 13,
d. K. Penderecki - Sonata no. 1,
e. K. Penderecki - Sonata no. 2,
f. Z. Stojowski - Sonata in G Major, Op. 13 no. 1,
g. Z. Stojowski - Sonata in E Major, Op. 37 no. 2,
h. K. Szymanowski - Sonata in D Minor, Op. 9,
i. A. Tansman - Sonata in D Major no. 2,
j. M. Weinberg - Sonata, Op. 39 no. 4,
k. M. Weinberg - Sonata, Op. 53 no. 5,
l. W. Żeleński - Sonata in
F Major, Op. 30.
LIST B – Additional compositions:
a. B. Bartók - Rhapsody No. 1,
b. E. Chausson - Poème, Op. 25,
c. J. Hubay - Carmen,
d. D. Milhaud - The Ox on the Roof [Cinema-fantaisie d'après Le Bœuf sur le
toit Op. 58] - version for violin and piano,
e. N. Paganini - I Palpiti, Op. 13,
f. M. Ravel - Tzigane,
g. P. Sarasate - Gypsy Airs, Op. 20,
h. P. Sarasate - Carmen, Op. 25,
i. M. Skoryk - Carpathian Rhapsody,
j. C. Saint-Saëns - Havanaise, Op. 83,
k. C. Saint-Saëns - Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso, Op. 28,
l. C. Saint-Saëns / E. Ysaÿe - Etude en forme de Valse, Op. 52,
m. I. Stravinsky - Suite Italienne,
n. F. Waxman - Carmen,
o. E. Ysaÿe - Poème élégiaque, Op. 12.
2. A composition or compositions of choice for solo violin or violin and piano selected by the participant solely admissible when programme made of compositions listed in art. 1 above does not exceed 45 minutes. Baroque (use of Baroque bow permissible), Classical, Romantic, or 20th-century pieces (condition of composer's death not later than 1945 applies) are accepted. With cyclic compositions, performance of all movements is not mandatory. Entire recital must not be shorter than 45, nor exceed 50 minutes.
STAGE 3
One of the following compositions:
a. M.P. Górecki - Concerto-Notturno, Op. 13,
b. A. Panufnik - Violin Concerto,
c. P. Vasks - Vox Amoris: Fantasy for Violin and Strings,
d. M. Weinberg - Concertino, Op. 42.
STAGE 4 (Finale A)
One concerto with orchestra to be selected from the following list:
a. J. Brahms - Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 77,
b. L. van Beethoven - Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61,
c. A. Dvořák - Violin Concerto in A Minor, Op. 53,
d. M. Karłowicz - Violin Concerto in A Major, Op. 8,
e. F. Mendelssohn - Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64,
f. J. Sibelius - Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47.
STAGE 4 (Finale B)
H. Wieniawski: one concerto with orchestra:
a. H. Wieniawski - Violin Concerto in F-sharp Minor No. 1, Op. 14,
b. H. Wieniawski - Violin Concerto in D Minor No. 2, Op. 22.
