We're coming to you from Geneva, Switzerland, for the online recital round of the Concours de Genève Viola Competition 2025. Open to all violists born after 12 November 1995, the viola edition features 38 candidates following a preselection round held in Geneva.

The 2025 candidates are:

  • Jaume Angelès Fité (28)
  • Álvaro Castelló Marchena (21)
  • Loan Cazal (27)
  • Eike Coetzee (23)
  • Junyan Du (16)
  • Riko Eto (24)
  • Nicolas Garrigues (26)
  • Chang Ge (20)
  • Adèle Ginestet (27)
  • Jaeyun Han (14)
  • Seamus Hickey (25)
  • Brian Isaacs (25)
  • Leonardo Jelve (26)
  • Ami-Louise Johnsson (24)
  • Sophie Kiening (23)
  • Jason Sheng-Chieh Lan (27)
  • Gatien Leray (23)
  • Yixiu Lin (23)
  • Laura Liu (24)
  • Katie Liu (26)
  • Eric Seohyun Moon (27)
  • Momoka Okada (24)
  • Haneul Park (24)
  • Alina Rowe (26)
  • Kiarra Saito-Beckman (26)
  • Stephen Savage (20)
  • Kyungsik Shin (26)
  • Sarah Strohm (19)
  • Anna Sypniewski (25)
  • Ayaka Taniguchi (22)
  • Cassandra Teissedre (22)
  • Aceland Wang (26)
  • Wassili Wohlgemuth (24)
  • Kinga Wojdalska (26)
  • Alessandra Yang (20)
  • Jieun Yoo (21)
  • Zihan Zhang (23)
  • Emad Zolfaghari (20)

The first prize winner will be presented CHF 20,000, second prize is CHF 12,000, and third prize 8,000 CHF. The competition will also present an Audience Prize of CHF 1,500, plus the Young Audience Prize and the Students Prize worth CHF 1,000 each. Among special gifts from Pirastro Strings, other awards include the Rose-Marie Huguenin Prize of CHF 10,000, the Arts Society Prize, Hindemith Prize, and more.

The preselection round jury comprised Tabea Zimmermann (chair), Tomoko Akasaka, Noémie Bialobroda, Harold Hirtz, and Frédéric Kirch. 

Also chaired by Zimmermann, the official competition jury will include Tomoko Akasaka, Ettore Causa, Hsin-Yun Huang, Cynthia Phelps, Jean Sulem, and German Tcakulov.

 

COMPETITION PROGRAM

Session 1 | September 8 at 3 AM (ET), 10 AM (Local Time)

Haneul Park, 24 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – II. Adagio cantabile, III. Rondo con moto
  • D. Fujikura : Engraving
  • R. Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 73

Kyungsik Shin, 27 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – II. Adagio cantabile, III. Rondo con moto
  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
  • U. Mamlock: From my garden

Brian Isaacs, 25 years old

  • G. Knox: Three Weddings and a Fight
  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

 

Session 2 | September 8 at 8 AM (ET), 2 PM (Local Time)

Anna Sypniewski, 26 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungǎ, Loop
  • R. Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 73

Junyan Du, 17 years old

  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungǎ, Loop

Kinga Wojdalska, 26 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • E. Carter: Figment IV
  • H. Sitt: Albumblätter Op. 39
  • G. Kurtág: Signs, games and messages – Hommage a John Cage, György Kroó in memoriam, For Imre Földes at 60

Session 3 | September 9 at 3 AM (ET), 10 AM (Local Time)

Loan Cazal, 27 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • E. Carter: Figment IV
  • C. Schumann: 3 Romances, Op. 22
  • U. Mamlock: From my garden

Katie Liu, 27 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
  • G. Knox: Three Weddings and a Fight

Eric Seohyun Moon, 28 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • C. Schumann: 3 Romances, Op. 22
  • G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungǎ, Loop
  • T. Murail: C’est un Jardin secret

Session 4 | September 9 at 7 AM (ET), 2 PM (Local TIme)

Adèle Ginestet, 27 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flt Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – II. Adagio cantabile, III. Rondo con moto
  • G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Facsar
  • C. Schumann: 3 Romances, Op. 22
  • G. Kurtág: Signs, games and messages - In Nomine - all’ongherese

Momoka Okada, 24 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungǎ, Facsar
  • R. Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 73

Riko Eto, 25 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
  • D. Fujikura: Engraving

Session 5 | September 10 at 3 AM (ET), 10 AM (Local Time)

Jason Sheng-Chieh Lan, 27 years old

  • C. Schumann: 3 Romances, Op. 22
  • U. Mamlock: From my garden
  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – II. Adagio cantabile, III. Rondo con moto

Kiarra Saito-Beckman, 26 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • G. Knox: Three Weddings and a Fight
  • C. Schumann: 3 Romances, Op. 22

Sarah Strohm, 20 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
  • G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungǎ, Prestissimo con sordino

Session 6 | September 10 at 7 AM (ET), 3 AM (Local Time)

Álvaro Castelló, 21 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Loop, Facsar
  • R. Schumann: 3 Romances, Op. 94

Leonardo Jelveh, 27 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
  • L. Berio: Sequenza VI

Wassili Wohlgemuth, 24 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • G. Kurtág: Signs, games and messages – Doloroso-Garzulyeknak , Kromatikus feleselos, Perpetuum mobile
  • G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Chaconne chromatique
  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

Session 7 | September 11 at 3 AM (ET), 10 AM (Local Time)

Nicolas Garrigues, 26 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
  • G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungǎ, Chaconne chromatique

Chang Ge, 21 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
  • G. Knox: Three Weddings and a Fight

Jaeyun Han, 15 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
  • G. Knox: Three Weddings and a Fight

Session 8 | September 11 at 7 AM (ET), 2 PM (Local Time)

Alinka Rowe, 26 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Loop, Lamento
  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

Jaume Angelès Fité, 29 years old

  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • G. Knox: Three Weddings and a Fight

Ayaka Taniguchi, 22 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • M. Jarrell: Some leaves II…
  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

Session 9 | September 12 at 3 AM (ET), 10 AM (Local Time)

Zhefeng Wang, 26 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
  • G. Knox: Three Weddings and a Fight

Zihan Zhang, 23 years old

  • G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungă, Loop
  • C. Schumann: 3 Romances, Op. 22
  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato

Eike Coetzee, 23 years old

  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – II. Adagio cantabile, III. Rondo con moto
  • A. Arad: Tikvah for solo Viola

Session 10 | September 12 at 7 AM (ET), 2 PM (Local Time)

Alessandra Yang, 21 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungǎ
  • G. Kurtág: Signs, games and messages – Jelek I, In memoriam Blum Tamás, Carenza Jig
  • R. Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 73

Stephen Savage, 21 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • G. Kurtág: Signs, games and messages – The Carenza Jig, In memoriam Tamás Blum, Virág - Zsigmondy Dénesnek
  • E. Carter: Figment IV
  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

Jieun Yoo, 21 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • A. Arad: Tikvah for solo Viola
  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

Session 11 | September 13 at 7 AM (ET), 2 PM (Local Time)

Emad Zolfaghari, 20 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – II. Adagio cantabile, III. Rondo con moto
  • G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Prestissimo con sordino, Lamento
  • G. Kurtág: Signs, games and messages – The Carenza Jig, Panaszos nóta
  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

Ami-Louise Johnsson, 24 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungǎ, Chaconne chromatique
  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

Sophie Kiening, 24 years old

  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
  • G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungǎ, Chaconne chromatique
  • H. Sitt: Albumblätter Op. 39

Session 12 | September 14 at 7 AM (ET), 2 PM (Local Time)

Gatien Leray, 23 years old

  • R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – II. Adagio cantabile, III. Rondo con moto
  • G. Kurtág: Signs, games and messages – In Nomine - all’ongherese, Vagdalkozos

Séamus Hickey, 26 years old

  • G. Knox: Three Weddings and a Fight
  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – II. Adagio cantabile, III. Rondo con moto
  • H. Sitt: Albumblätter, Op. 39

Cassandra Teissedre, 23 years old

  • G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Lamento, Chaconne chromatique
  • R. Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 73
  • J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – II. Adagio cantabile, III. Rondo con moto