Violin 2026
CONCOURS 2026
From May 27 to June 4, 2026, the Concours musical international de Montréal 2026 allowed the audience the opportunity to witness moments of pure musical magic. The best violinists of the new generation came to Montreal to compete in an exceptional international competition, and to offer unforgettable performances for a prestigious jury and an enthusiastic public.
COMPETITORS
24 competitors between 17 to 31 years old, from 17 countries shared the stage for the Concours 2026. Each violinist has the chance to win prizes and grants exceeding a total value of $150,000 CAD.
LAuREATES AND WINNERS
Over $150,000 CAD in prizes and grants have been awarded to the laureates and winners of the special prizes at the Concours musical international de Montréal 2026. The Concours is proud to contribute to the cultural dynamism of Montreal and to the launch of the careers of emerging international musicians.
Thank you to the many partners who made it possible to award these prizes and grants.
| Laureates | |
FIRST PRIZEGrand cash prize $30,000 Offered in partnership with Ville de Montréal Joseph Rouleau Career Development Grant - First Prize $40,000 Offered in partnership with the Azrieli Foundation Koshiro Takeuchi | $70,000 |
SECOND PRIZECash prize Pierre Péladeau et Raymonde Chopin $15,000 Offered in partnership with Québecor Joseph Rouleau Career Development Grant - Second prize $10,000 Offered in partnership with the Azrieli Foundation Sara Watanabe | $25,000 |
THIRD PRIZECash prize $15,000 Offered in partnership with Stingray Classica Joseph Rouleau Career Development Grant - Third Prize $00,000 Offered in partnership with the Azrieli Foundation Laurel Gagnon | $20,000 |
| Special prizes | |
| ICI Musique Audience Choice Award Prize attributed by the public following an online vote Offered in partnership with ICI Musique Bade Dastan | $5,000 |
| André Bourbeau Award for the Best Canadian Artist Offered in partnership with the Fondation Bourbeau Justin Saulnier | $5,000 |
| Mozart Prize Best performance of a Mozart concerto in the Final – Mozart Round Offered in partnership with Wilder & Davis Sara Watanabe | $3,000 |
| Baroque Prize 1 Best performance of a Baroque work in the First Round Offered in partnership with Andrew Wan, Concertmaster of the OSM Koshiro Takeuchi | $2,500 |
| Canadian Work Prize 2 Best performance of a Canadian work in the Semifinal Offered in partnership with the Lupien Family Foundation Laurel Gagnon | $2,500 |
| Sonata Prize 2 Best performance of a sonata in the Semifinal Offered in partnership with Dixi Lambert Laurel Gagnon | $2,500 |
| Robert Trempe Junior Jury Prize * 1 Prize determined at the conclusion of the First Round by the Junior Jury Offered in partnership with Richard Tremblay Charlotte Spruit | $1,500 |
| Finalist Grants Grants awarded to the two finalists who do not advance to the Grand Final Offered in partnership with the Rouleau Family and Jacques Vincent Bade Dastan and Aozhe Zhang | 2 x $3,000 |
| Additional Special Prizes | |
| Loan of a violin and bow * Giuseppe Guarneri del Gesù violin 1728–30, “ex-Christopher Warren-Green," and a bow, loaned for a period of three years. Awarded to the Grand Laureate or another laureate wishing to take advantage of this opportunity. Offered in partnership with the Canimex Music Instrument Collection Koshiro Takeuchi | |
| OSM Prize * Offered in partnership with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM), official orchestra of the Concours Offered in partnership with the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal | |
| Artist Residence * A one-week residency at the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, awarded to a laureate Offered in partnership with Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity | Value of $1,800 |
| Chamber Music Prize An engagement for a concert with the Montreal Chamber Music Festival Offered in partnership with the Montreal Chamber Music Festival | |
| Artistic Consultation Personalized artistic consultation for each laureate with Agence Station Bleue Offered in partnership with Agence Station Bleue | |
| Je reviendrai à Montréal Grant * A grant to bring back the laureates and winners of special prizes to perform in Montréal or surrounding areas Offered in partnership with the Nawacki Family Foundation | $25,000 |
INTERNATIONAL JURY
The Concours 2026 international jury was chaired by violinist Lucie Robert. It brought together leading and influential figures from the international violin community: Ju-Young Baek, Glenn Dicterow, Simin Ganatra, Yuzuko Horigome, Régis Pasquier, Barry Shiffman and Pavel Vernikov.
The members of the jury of the Concours musical international de Montréal 2026 brought invaluable expertise to the Montreal competition. Many competitors came to Montreal in order to be heard by this jury, and to benefit from the valuable advice of these distinguished individuals once their participation is over.
From the balcony of Bourgie Hall and of the Maison symphonique de Montréal, the jury attentively listened to all the rounds of the competition, determining the laureates and special prize winners who shared prizes and grants with a value of more than $150,000 CAD.
SASCHA GOETZEL – GUEST CONDUCTOR
Competitors had the opportunity to perform alongside the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal (OSM) for the Semifinal and Final rounds. For the occasion, the official orchestra of the Concours was under the direction of Guest Conductor Sascha Goetzel.
PRELIMINARY jury
PRELIMINARY JURY MEMBERS – CONCOURS 2026
The preliminary jury for the Concours 2026 was composed of six renowned violinists and expert pedagogues, based in Asia, Europe, and Canada: Timothy Chooi, Mengla Huang, Michiko Kamiya, Mayumi Seiler, Livia Sellin, and Guillaume Sutre.
This esteemed panel was entrusted with the immense task of evaluating all 250 applicants from 37 countries, and ultimately selecting the 24 exceptional violinists invited to compete in Montreal.
In this crucial first stage of the competition, the jury identified violinists who demonstrated not only technical mastery but also a distinctive artistic voice. To ensure impartiality, jury members did not have access to applicants’ names, nationalities, schools, teachers, as well as performance and / or competition experience. Their judgment rested solely on the three required audition videos submitted by each candidate, as well as the applicant’s age. Each application consisted of one Caprice for solo violin by Paganini, any fugue by J.S. Bach, as well as a slow movement from any of Beethoven’s violin sonatas, except for No. 9 (“Kreutzer”).
Three members of the jury first carefully listened to and evaluated all 250 submissions. The 72 applicants with the highest ratings then advanced to a second round of preliminary evaluation, where they were heard by the three remaining members of the jury. From this group, the final 24 competitors — along with alternates — were selected.
The Concours salutes the members of the preliminary jury for their devotion, discernment, and rigour in this important first step of the competition.
juNIOR JURY
This third appearance of a Junior Jury at the Concours was an exceptional experience for its members, full of discoveries and encounters. It offered these student violinists an invaluable opportunity to enrich their educational and professional careers, while sharpening their critical aptitudes.
The Junior Jury was made up of violin students from Montreal’s and Toronto’s leading music training institutions: the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal, the Schulich School of Music at McGill University, and the Faculty of Music at the Université de Montréal and the Glenn Gould School of Music of the Royal Conservatory of Toronto
At the end of the First Round on May 29, 2026, Charlotte Spruit was named the winner of the Robert-Trempe Junior Jury Prize — a value of $1,500, offered in partnership with Richard Tremblay.
President of the Junior Jury
CONCOURS 2026
Ana Drobac
rULES AND REPERTOIRE
THE CONCOURS ON THE ROAD
THE CONCOURS BROADENS ITS HORIZONS
For the third year in a row, the Concours ventured beyond the competition itself to offer even more people an unprecedented musical experience, with the Concours On the Road.
In collaboration with three presenting partners, the 14 violinists who did not advance to the Semifinal of Concours 2026 had the opportunity to perform in L’Île-des-Sœurs, Farnham, and Richmond, in Québec.
This initiative not only provides an additional showcase for these exceptional artists of the new generation, but also allows music lovers to experience high-level performances in a variety of venues, expanding the musical experience of the Concours for Québec’s cultural community.
