One 1st and two 2nd prizes at the Schumann Chamber Music Prize Frankfurt

After two exciting days of competition on March 29 and 30 in the Great Hall of the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts (HfMDK), the final took place yesterday evening in the Mozart Hall of the Alte Oper Frankfurt. The three trios selected by the jury for the final round gave their best once again - and all three ensembles captivated the audience with their very individual style on this evening. In short: It was a special kind of pleasure - not only for the young musicians.

"Especially in times that question the trust in humanity, the ideals of freedom, equality and fraternity. Chamber music follows the democratic principle. Everyone has equal rights. It is in every moment dialogue, ambiguous. Here, chamber music was not a welcome distraction. No, it allowed the audience to experience directly what constitutes being human in the best sense: respect, trust, spirit, meaning," said HfMDK President Prof. Elmar Fulda.

The 1st prize and thus prize money of 8,000 euros goes to the Amelio Trio. "Johanna Schubert (violin), Merle Geißler (violoncello) and Philipp Kirchner (piano) were not only convincing on the final evening, but throughout the entire course of the competition," said Erika Geldsetzer, chairwoman of the jury as well as violinist of the Fauré Quartet and lecturer for violin at the Berlin University of the Arts, explaining the decision.

The Orelon Trio with Judith Stapf (violin), Arnau Rovira Bascompte (cello) and Marco Sanna (piano) as well as the Trio Delyria with David Strongin (violin), Uriah Tutter (cello) and Elisha Kravitz (piano) both receive the 2nd prize and thus 6,000 euros each.

The special prize for the most impressive interpretation of a work by Robert Schumann or his companions, and thus 2,000 euros, was awarded by the Robert Schumann Society Frankfurt am Main to the Orelon Trio. And the three young musicians of the Trio Delyria were delighted to receive the Audience Award.

The newly launched International Schumann Chamber Music Prize Frankfurt for Piano Trio & Piano Quartet was announced. Fifteen young ensembles from all over the world originally wanted to travel to Frankfurt this week. They had submitted videos in advance, which were reviewed by the jury. They were selected and invited to Frankfurt. In the end, eleven piano trios had entered the musical competition - still a chamber music marathon for the jury. "However, due to the overall enormously high artistic and technical level, the past three days were anything but a compulsory program. Rather, from the first ensemble performance to the finale in the Mozart Hall, we absolutely enjoyed the concert character and the concert program of each ensemble," Erika Geldsetzer sums up.

The jury of the International Schumann Chamber Music Prize Frankfurt included:

• Krzysztof Chorzelski, professor of viola and chamber music at the Barenboim-Said Academy in Berlin and violist of the Belcea Quartet
• Erika Geldsetzer (chair), lecturer for violin at the Berlin University of the Arts and violinist of the Fauré Quartett
• Angelika Merkle, professor of piano chamber music at the HfMDK, artistic director of the International Schumann Chamber Music Prize Frankfurt and the Festeburg Concerts Frankfurt
• Natalia Prishepenko, professor for violin at the Hochschule für Musik Carl Maria von Weber Dresden
• Michael Sanderling, Professor of Violoncello at the HfMDK and Principal Conductor of the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra
• Michael Uhde, Professor of Piano and Chamber Music at the Karlsruhe University of Music

The Schumann Chamber Music Prize Frankfurt was organized by the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts and significantly supported by the Dr. Marschner Foundation. Partners are the Frankfurter Museums-Gesellschaft, the Alte Oper Frankfurt, the Robert Schumann-Gesellschaft Frankfurt and the Festeburgkonzerte. Media partner is hr2-kultur.