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Competitions › International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition

International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition

Helsinki, Finland

Official website Rules & repertoire

Next edition

No future edition is announced on the official pages we could check.

Overview

Violin-only competition for violinists under 30, held in Helsinki. The final round is performed with Finnish and partner orchestras, and the jury may change the prize scheme. Next edition not announced on the pages checked.

Organiser
Sibelius Society, in collaboration with the Sibelius Academy of the University of the Arts Helsinki
Instruments
Violin
Category
Solo violin
Age limits
Under 30 years of age (per home page)

Rules & repertoire

Registration & fee

Deadline 29 January 2025 for the 2025 edition (now closed). Fee not stated. Application documents and video recordings are submitted for preliminary selection.

Rounds & time limits

  • Preliminary audition: duration not stated
  • First round: maximum 30 minutes on stage
  • Second round: maximum 70 minutes on stage
  • Final: concerto performance, duration not stated

Repertoire

Preliminary audition: one Bach solo sonata or partita movement, a Paganini Caprice (or Ernst variations), and the first movement of Sibelius Violin Concerto in D minor. Round 1: two or three movements of a Bach sonata/partita or the Ciaccona, a second item from four options, and two Sibelius Humoresques. Round 2: at least two freely chosen Sibelius works for violin and piano, the commissioned work, and a recital. Final: Sibelius Violin Concerto plus one concerto from a list of four.

Jury & prizes

Jury

Not published on the official pages we could check.

Prizes

  • 1st EUR 30,000; 2nd EUR 20,000; 3rd EUR 15,000; three other finalists EUR 3,000 each; EUR 1,000 per accepted contestant in round 2 (Sibelius family); EUR 2,000 for best commissioned-work performance.

Past editions

  • 2025 — Helsinki (19-29 May 2025 per home page) source
    1st prize: Sueye Park (EUR 30,000 prize per rules page)
  • 2022 — Helsinki (18-29 May 2022) source
    1st prize: Inmo Yang (South Korea)
  • 2015 source
    1st prize: Christel Lee (USA)
  • 2010 source
    1st prize: Nikita Boriso-Glebsky (Russia / Belgium)
  • 2005 source
    1st prize: Alina Pogostkina (Germany)

Summarised from official sources, last checked 10 Nov 2026. Main source