The 12th Quadrennial International Violin Competition of Indianapolis (IVCI) will be held September 17 - October 4, 2026. Open to violinists of all nationalities aged between 16 and 29,  the competition is aimed at those who are prepared for a concert career.

Applicants are invited to submit videos between January 1 and February 28, 2026. Click here to read all application rules. To apply, click here.

“Every Quadrennial is an exciting opportunity to search the world for the latest great talents,” says IVCI Executive Director Glen Kwok. “The Indianapolis is proud of its extraordinary list of distinguished Laureates spanning the last four decades and looks forward to adding six new discoveries to the list after the 12th Quadrennial. The Indianapolis is far more than a competition; it is a career-launching opportunity with significant post-competition career management and mentorship.”

The IVCI will award over $350,000 worth of prizes, including the opportunity for a Laureate to have four-year access to a violin from the IVCI collection, including the “ex-Gingold” 1683 Stradivari violin. The top three Laureates will also receive career management and international concert engagements for four years.

In addition, the Gold Medalist will receive a Carnegie Hall recital debut, website development and maintenance for four years, and a recording contract. The cash prizes for the top six Finalists are: Gold Medalist ($75,000), Silver Medalist ($30,000), Bronze Medalist ($15,000), Fourth Place Laureate ($10,000), Fifth Place Laureate ($8,000) and Sixth Place Laureate ($6,000).

This year's commissioned composer is Jessie Montgomery, who will compose a new work for the Semi-Final round. “It is an honor to continue the legacy of impactful composers in service of our country’s most outstanding showcase of talented violinists," says Montgomery. "I take on this work with profound admiration for competitors of the past, present and future, and look forward to hearing the music come alive through various interpretations.”

In the final round of the competition, the finalists will perform with the East Coast Chamber Orchestra in the Classical Finals, and then with the Indianapolis Symphonyunder conductor Leonard Slatkin.

Previous winners include VC Artists Sirena Huang and Augustin Hadelich, Richard Lin, Jinjoo Cho, and Clara-Jumi Kang.