Wolfgang and Ingrid Hensel Violin Competition

1st prize: 3000 €

2nd prize: 2000 €

3rd prize: 1000 €

Special prizes: 250 € and 200 €

1st Round

a minimum of 20 minutes and a maximum of 25 minutes, one of the 2 possible program concepts of the candidate's choice.

"Concept Tradition"
I: J.S. Bach 1st and 2nd movements from
- BWV 1001
- BWV 1003
- BWV 1005
or
Ciaccona

II: a Caprice by Paganini

III: the first movement of a violin concerto by Mozart
- KV 207
- KV 216
- KV 218
- KV 219

"Concept Innovation"
I: one of the non-Bach polyphonic works for solo violin by
- Biber: Passacaglia
- Telemann: one of the Fantasies No. 1-6
- Stamitz: Divertimento D + additional movement
- Rust: Solo Sonata in d or B 1st + 2nd movements
- Vieuxtemps: Introduction et fugue op. 55/6
- Reger: one of the Preludes and Fugues from op. 117 or op. 131
- Ysaye: Solo Sonata op. 27/1 1st + 2nd movements
- Bartók: Solo Sonata 1st + 2nd movements

II: a significant virtuoso work for violin, e.g. Ernst: Last Rose, Paganini: Nel cor più, Wieniawski: op. 10/9, Milstein Paganiniana, etc.

III: the first movements of a violin concerto by
- Joseph Martin Kraus in C
- Joseph Haydn in C or A
- Josef Myslivecek in C-, F-, or D

2nd Round 

at least 35, at most 40 minutes with 6-9 candidates, a recital program of the candidates' choice, which must include the following program points:
I: a sonata or major duo work for violin and piano (complete or individual movements)
II: a virtuosic work for violin and piano
III: a work by a female composer from a different era than I (complete or individual movements)

Finale 

with 3-4 candidates, one of the following violin concertos, with piano accompaniment:
Bartok 2, Beethoven, Brahms, Dvorak, Elgar, Karlowicz, Korngold, Mendelssohn in E minor, Paganini (1-4), Schumann, Schostakowitsch (1 or 2), Sibelius, Strauss, Tchaikovsky or Wieniawski in f-sharp minor

1. The competition will take place in three rounds from August 17 to 20, 2025, at the facilities of the Bavarian Music Academy Hammelburg.
2. The order of the competition entries will be determined by the competition management.
3. The entire repertoire, except for contemporary works (2nd round II) and sonatas or duo works with piano, must be performed from memory.
4. Participants are required to adhere to the specified playing times for each round. In case of exceeding the time limit, the jury chair may interrupt the performance at any time. Both this action and any time underrun will result in point deductions.
5. Up to three main prizes and additional special prizes may be awarded.
6. The jury has the right not to award prizes or to share them.

1. The competitions begins on August 17, 2025, with the arrival, registration of the participants and drawing of the order for the first round. If circumstances require, the first evaluation round may already begin on the same evening.
2. The public competition is planned to take place in three rounds: the first round on August 17/18, the second round on August 19, and the final on August 20. Violinists of any nationality up to the age of 32 (as of the cut-off date of August 17, 2025) are eligible to participate.
3. Registration must be completed by June 30 at the latest (online registration). Complete registration includes:
   - a fully completed registration form
   - a complete registration form
   - a copy of the passport, ID card, or birth certificate
   - an artistic CV listing all previous violin teachers
4. The number of participants may be limited by the competition management without providing reasons, and confirmation of admission will be given in writing.
5. Travel arrangements and expenses are to be organized and paid for by the participant.
6. The competition fee is €150. This includes one rehearsal with one of the official accompanists of the competition for each round. Additionally, accomodation costs are €157 for participants under 27 years and €177 for participants over 27 years.
7. Candidates may bring their own pianists at their own expense.
8. The competition will provide candidates with a practice room for the duration of their participation.
9. The organizer may acoustically and visually record all artistic performances of the participants during the competition events and has the right to use these recordings live or at a later date, without any compensation claims arising for the competition participants. Private recordings, even on behalf of participants, are not permitted.
10. All participants will receive a diploma, and the prize winners will receive a certificate.
11. The Jury will decide on the awarding of prizes according to its own regulations.
12. The results will be publicly announced after each round. Each participant will receive written individual comments on their performances from the jury members.
13. Jury members waive the evaluation of:
    - current students or pupils
    - participants with whom they have had teaching realtionship as a student or pupil in the last 5 years
    - participants with whom they have had an intensinve teaching realtionship (more than 15 lessons) in the past two years.
14. Jury members may be immediately released from their duties in case of non-compliance with these rules.
15. The decisions of the jury are final and irrevocable.
16. Legal recourse is excluded.