Schumann Chamber Music Prize Frankfurt

Three or four equal instruments and voices - three or four soloists and passionate musicians. No one sets the pace, the leadership changes in the moment, it is an acceptance, continuation and underlining, leading on and giving back. Every voice, every instrument is the same. And yet the voices and instruments merge into a rounded and yet lively and stirring sound. Model melody lines, harmonies, structures and rhythms vividly. Despite all the instrument-specific nuances, they find a common approach to the musical text and a common interpretation. That is chamber music. It is dialog at every moment, ambiguous.

The musicians search for each other with glances, encourage each other with movement, trace the common breath. A great whole that requires a maximum of trust, openness in action, daring, self-confidence in the true sense and a sense of community in order to succeed.
And this is what the visitors of the newly launched Schumann Chamber Music Prize can experience
Frankfurt on March 29 and 30 at the HfMDK and on March 30 at the Alte Oper Frankfurt.
Fifteen young ensembles will travel from all over the world. They had sent in videos in advance, which were reviewed by the jury. They were selected and invited to Frankfurt. We are looking forward to them!

Two days of piano chamber music in the Great Hall of the HfMDK, then the finale in the Mozart Hall of the Alte Oper Frankfurt - as part of the chamber music series of the Frankfurt Museum Society. A special kind of pleasure - especially in times that question the trust in humanity, the ideals of freedom, equality and brotherhood. Chamber music is not a welcome distraction. No, it allows us to experience what constitutes being human in the best sense: respect, trust, spirit, meaning.

The venues for the chamber music competition are the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts and the Alte Oper Frankfurt.
The Schumann Chamber Music Prize Frankfurt is organized by the Frankfurt University of Music and Performing Arts and substantially supported by the Dr. Marschner Foundation. Partners are the Frankfurter Museums-Gesellschaft, the Alte Oper Frankfurt, the Robert Schumann-Gesellschaft Frankfurt and the Festeburgkonzerte.

The jury will determine the final prize-winning ensembles in three judging rounds.

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

• 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 respective programs and order of the ensembles will be published only at the beginning of the public competition (on March 29, 2022) via this website and through notices.

All ensembles coming to Frankfurt will receive media exposure through live streams and radio recordings. Prize money totaling 18,000 euros and follow-up concerts await the winners. The Robert Schumann Society Frankfurt am Mai will also award a special prize for the most impressive interpretation of a work by Robert Schumann or his companions.
Prize money
- 1st prize: 8,000 euros
- 2nd prize: 6,000 euros
- 3rd prize: 4,000 euros
- Special prize of the Schumann Society: 2.000 Euro
An audience award will also be presented during the final round at the Alte Oper.

Coaching and consulting 'Paths to the future
After the competition, the three ensembles in the final round will also be given the opportunity for an individual workshop day. Here, the musicians will hone their individual ensemble profile together with professionals from both the HfMDK and external consultants.