This May, the city of Poznań will host the 15th Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Making Competition. The event will take place across several venues.

The first two stages (May 9–12), during which jurors will assess the instruments, will be held at the Museum of Musical Instruments. The third stage, open to the public, will focus on evaluating the violins' sound in both chamber and concert hall settings. It will take place in two rounds: on May 13 in the White Hall of the Poznań Bazaar and on May 15 in the Adam Mickiewicz University Auditorium. The competition will conclude on May 16 with an awards ceremony and a concert featuring the winning instruments. The following day, an exhibition showcasing the competition violins will open at the Museum of Musical Instruments in Poznań.

The auditions and the final concert will be streamed on the Wieniawski Society YouTube channel.

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS

May 9

Stage 1

Formal evaluation of instruments (closed to the public)
Museum of Musical Instruments in Poznań

May 10-12

Stage 2

Essential evaluation of instruments (closed to the public)
The Museum of Musical Instruments in Poznań

May 13

Stage 3a | 4 PM

Chamber auditions with piano (open to the public and streamed live)
White Hall of Poznań Bazaar (Bazar Poznański)

Marcin Herman - violin
Tomasz Sośniak - piano

Reference violin: Pietro Guarneri III from Mantua, ca. 1710

Program:
1. Chromatic scale on all strings
2. J.S. Bach - Adagio from Sonata No. 1 in G Minor for Solo Violin (excerpt)
3. H. Wieniawski - Fantaisie brillante on themes from Gounod's 'Faust' Op. 20 (excerpt)

May 15

Stage 3B | 6 PM

Stage auditions with symphony orchestra (open to the public and streamed live)
Auditorium of the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań

Marcin Suszycki - violin
Poznan Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Marek Pijarowski

Reference violin: Pietro Guarneri III from Mantua, ca. 1710
Program: M. Bruch - Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, Op. 26, part 1 (excerpt)

Announcement of the Competition Results after the final meeting of the Jury | between 10 - 11 PM

May 16

International Violin-Making Symposium / Organizer: Polish Union of Artist Violin Makers
I.J. Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań (Presidential Hall)

6 PM

Prize-giving ceremony and gala concert on awarded instruments (open to the public and streamed live)
White Hall of Poznań Bazaar (Bazar Poznański)

May 17

10 AM - 11:15 AM Open consultations with Jury Members (for Participants only)
The Museum of Musical Instruments in Poznań

Participants of the Competition interested in meeting with the Jury are requested to contact the Competition Office by email by Monday, May 12, 2025, at vmc@wieniawski.pl

12 AM Opening of competition instruments exhibition (the tour will be conducted in accordance with the regulations of the Museum)
The Museum of Musical Instruments in Poznań

The exhibition will be open until May 31.

4 PM Concert Hommage à Wieniawski organized by the Museum of Musical Instruments in Poznań
White Hall of Poznań Bazaar (Bazar Poznański)

Sirkka-Liisa Kaakinen-Pilch – violin
Monika Woźniak – historical piano

In the program: works by W.A. Mozart, F. Schubert, J. Elsner, K. Kurpiński and H. Wieniawski.