In 2001, when the world celebrated the centenary of the birth of Jascha Heifetz, the musical society of his native Vilnius did not stay aside. In commemoration of an outstanding violinist the Violin Days and the International Violin Competition dedicated to the one-hundredth anniversary of Jascha Heifetz were organised. During the competition, the famous Gidon Kremer headed an international jury and the participants were numerous gifted young people from both Lithuania and abroad. The event aroused a great interest of the society and the hall of the National Philharmonic Society was full during the closing concert. The organisers fostered a dream to make this competition dedicated to the anniversary of Jascha Heifetz a regularly occurring event.
Thanks to competition enthusiasts – Professors of Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre Petras Radzevičius and Jurgis Dvarionas – as well as to state cultural institutions, this dream did come true. The second competition, which took place in the middle of February, 2005, was also enthusiastically welcomed by music professionals and abundant music lovers of Vilnius. Gidon Kremer, who was the head of the jury, emphasized high criteria of this competition and stated that playing in the hall with the portrait of Jascha Heifetz was an extraordinary task and responsibility to all young musicians. The competition now takes place every four years, the third competition being part of the “Hommage à Heifetz” project at the start of Vilnius’ year as European Capital of Culture in 2009.
Center for International Cultural Projects
Lithuanian Academy of Music and Theatre
Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society
Submission of recordings followed by two rounds.
The participants should be aged up to 27 years old.
Every four years.
14-22 February 2025
1 January 2025
competition
The competition will take place on February 14-22, 2025 in following order:
The competition is open to violinists who are born on or after February 2, 1998. Current students of the jury members are allowed to enter the competition, but those jury members are restricted from voting for their students or make any impact on the decisions of other jury members regarding their students. Jury members can not vote for the competitors who are related to them by consanguinity, adoption or affinity, or who have regularly studied or had more then one masterclass lesson with them within the 36 month period prior the competition.
Note: 1st prize winners of the previous J. Heifetz competitions are not allowed to participate in this competition.
Note: 1st prize winners of previous J. Heifetz competitions cannot participate in this Competition.
Participants should register online using their accounts at the professional music competition administration platform artistDB by January 1, 2025. Link for registration: https://artistdb.eu/en/nousr/contests.
The application fee is: 100 euro.
The following materials should be included with the Application Form:
SELECTION ROUND (recording must be sent together with the ONLINE application):
1. W. A. Mozart: First movement with cadenza of one selected violin concerto:
No. 1 in B-flat major KV 207;
No. 2 in D major KV 211;
No. 3 in G major KV 216;
No. 4 in D major KV 218;
No. 5 in A major KV 219;
2. N. Paganini: One caprice selected from Op. 1
1st ROUND
1. J. S. Bach | III and IV movements from any of the violin sonatas listed below (movements with repeats must be performed only with the first repeats):
Violin Sonata No. 1 · in G minor · BWV 1001 (Siciliana, Presto);
Violin Sonata No. 2 · in A minor · BWV 1003 (Andante, Allegro);
Violin Sonata No. 3 · in C major · BWV 1005 (Largo, Allegro assai).
2. N. Paganini | One selected caprice from “24 Caprices for Solo Violin” · Op. 1. (The same one, which was played at the from the pre-selection round, can be repeated.)
3. Compulsory piece commissioned for this competition, which was written by Lithuanian composer – “With a Birdsong” by Algirdas Martinaitis (this piece can be performed from the sheet notes). Sheet music of this piece is provided by the organisers. For it, please contact us via e-mail: info@ipmc.lt
2nd ROUND
1. Selected virtuoso piece (up to 15 min. duration);
2. Transcription by Jascha Heifetz;
3. W. A. Mozart | Violin Concerto No. 4 · in D major · KV 218 · I movement (Allegro) with J. Heifetz cadenza.
3rd ROUND (FINAL)
One of the concerts for violin and orchestra provided below (finalists will be accompanied by Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra):
All works must be performed by HEART (except compulsory piece “With a Birdsong” by Algirdas Martinaitis).
