First Round
Session 1
Wednesday May 27, 2026 — 1:30 PM
Bourgie Hall
1339 rue Sherbrooke Ouest
The curtain rises on 24 exceptional violinists. The Concours begins: be there to witness these moments when destinies are forged.
In turn, each violinist showcases their virtuosity, musicality, and personality in the superb acoustics of Bourgie Hall, at the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts.
In this First Round, each competitor has 30 minutes to shine by performing:
- A work by J.S. Bach, Telemann, or another Baroque composer
- A work showcasing the competitor’s virtuosity (Bazzini, Ernst, Paganini, Saint-Saëns, Sarasate, Waxman, Wieniawski)
- A work of the competitor’s choice from a third musical period
Program
- Georg Philipp Telemann Fantasia for Solo Violin No. 4 in D major, TWV 40:17Vivace — Grave — Allegro
- Belà Bartók Violin Rhapsody No. 1, Sz. 87Lassú, Moderato — Friss, Allegretto moderato
- Niccoló Paganini Nel cor più non mi sento, MS 44
- Johann Sebastian Bach Partita for Solo Violin No. 1 in B minor, BWV 1002Allemande — Double — Courante — Double
- Ludwig van Beethoven Sonata for Violin and Piano No. 7 in C minor, Op. 30, No. 2Allegro con brio
- Henryk Wieniawski Original Theme with Variations, Op. 15
- Giuseppe Tartini Sonata for solo violin No. 7 in A minor, B. A1Tema con Variazioni
- Franz Waxman Carmen Fantasy
- Ernest Bloch Baal Shem, B. 47Nigun — Simchas Torah
- Luciano Berio Sequenza VIII
- Johann Sebastian Bach Sonata for Solo Violin No. 1 in G minor, BWV 1001Adagio — Fuga
- Fritz Kreisler Caprice viennois, op. 2
- Johann Sebastian Bach Sonata for Solo Violin No. 1 in G minor, BWV 1001Adagio — Fuga
- Eugène Ysaÿe Sonata for Solo Violin No. 2 in A minor, Op. 27Obsession — Malinconia, Poco Lento — Danse des ombres, Sarabande, Lento — Les furies, Allegro furioso
- Piotr Ilitch Tchaïkovski Waltz-Scherzo, Op. 34
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