Registrations have opened for the 20th edition of the George Enescu International Competition set to take place in Bucharest between August 23 and September 19. Held every two years, the event is regarded as one of the world’s leading international launching platforms for young classical musicians and a gateway to the George Enescu International Festival.

The competition features four sections, namely composition, cello, violin, and piano.

Moreover, maestro Cristian Măcelaru, the artistic director of the Enescu Festival and Competition, will once again lead the conducting and instrumental performance masterclasses this year. For the 2026 edition, the programme will also include a composition masterclass, to be delivered by members of the composition jury.

The theme of the 2026 edition, “In Pursuit of Excellence,” reflects the competition’s mission to promote artistic rigor, creative courage, and interpretative excellence among the new generation of musicians, inspired by the legacy of George Enescu, the organizers said. 

Applications are open until May 10 for the piano, violin, and cello sections, and until June 30 for the composition section, which is open to artists born after August 1, 1991. 

The composition masterclasses, as well as the conducting interpretation and advanced music study masterclasses, are open to musicians born after August 1, 1991, while the instrumental performance masterclass is open to musicians born after August 1, 2001. 

Up to 50 contestants per instrumental section will be selected following preselections. Early rounds will take place at the National University of Music in Bucharest, while the semifinals and finals will be hosted by the Romanian Athenaeum.

The opening concert on August 23 will feature the winners of the 2024 edition, accompanied by the National Radio Orchestra under the baton of Cristian Măcelaru.

Alongside the competition rounds, the programme includes six symphonic concerts and six chamber recitals performed by internationally renowned artists, jury members, and former laureates. The semifinals of the competition (cello, piano, and violin sections) will be held in a play-and-conduct concert format - a first for this edition - with the participation of the Radio Chamber Orchestra.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: press release/Anca Arambașa)