Competitions › International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition Leipzig
International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition Leipzig
Overview
The International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition, founded in 1950, is held in Leipzig with a rotating selection of instruments and voice. Entrants play Bach in the historical style required, using Urtext editions, before an international jury.
- Organiser
- Bach-Archiv Leipzig
- Instruments
- Organ, Harpsichord, Piano, Violin / Baroque violin, Cello / Baroque cello, Voice
- Category
- Solo piano, Baroque violin, Solo cello, Opera & general voice, Organ, Harpsichord & fortepiano
- Rotating
- Instruments change; 2027: voice
Next edition: Voice
Rules & repertoire
Registration & fee
Not published on the official pages we could check.Rounds & time limits
Not published on the official pages we could check.Repertoire
Programmes of Bach works in the historical style required by each category, using Urtext editions.
Jury & prizes
Jury
- 2026 violin jury: Reinhard Goebel (head)
- 2027 voice jury: Christoph Pregardien (chair)
Prizes
- 2024 prizes per category: 1st EUR 10,000, 2nd EUR 7,500, 3rd EUR 5,000
- 2026 violin: 1st EUR 20,000, 2nd EUR 10,000, 3rd EUR 5,000
Past editions
- 2026 — Leipzig source
Violin: 1st Miha Zhu (Germany); 2nd Celeste Klingelschmitt (France, Baroque violin); 3rd Cosima Soulez-Lariviere (Netherlands) - 2024 — Leipzig source
Organ: 1st Julian Emanuel Becker; 2nd Jakub Moneta; 3rd Grant Smith; Voice: 1st Lara Morger; 2nd Anton Haupt; 3rd Elena Elsa Tsantidis; Cello/Baroque cello: 1st Victor Garcia Garcia; 2nd Johannes Gray; 3rd Bartolomeo Dandolo Marchesi
Summarised from official sources, last checked 10 Nov 2026. Main source