The 2026 Classic Cello International Competition will be held at London's Royal College of Music from March 6th to April 6th.

Led by its President, Konstantin Ishkhanov, alongside Artistic Director Alexander Chaushian,  the competition's 40-participant cohort is now officially confirmed.

We sat down with Chaushian ahead of the competition’s launch, and spoke to him about the origins of Classic Cello, its guiding philosophies, and what excites him most about this upcoming edition.

 

Can you tell us about the journey that led you here, and how the idea first began for the Classic Cello competition?

When I was invited to serve as a jury member at the cello contest that was held as part of the Classic Strings competition in Dubai, one of my first thoughts was how wonderful it would be to have a competition of the same magnitude in London. As far as I know, there had never been an international cello competition of this scale in the city, so I decided to propose the idea to Konstantin Ishkhanov. To my great surprise and happiness, he simply said, “Why not? We can try.” That was really the starting point of it all, and then the idea grew and evolved from there. Konstantin is just the perfect person to work with on a project like this, because once the idea is there, Konstantin Ishkhanov is tireless in working to make it come to life, and we can see it happening here once again! Now, thanks to his support, that dream from Dubai is becoming a reality, and we are going to see the cello take the spotlight in a way that London has never really seen before!

 

As a former competition winner yourself, what philosophies did you want to implement in leading Classic Cello?

For me personally, competitions are not really what music is about. That said, they are important, and have a crucial place in our world. When I was younger and took part in competitions myself, I remember how seriously I practised and how much I improved afterwards. They pushed me to grow in a way that was ultimately very valuable. I wanted Classic Cello to reflect that balance, where we recognise that the competition is a tool for development, rather than an end in itself, and this is something that I would like our participants to take away with them as well.

 

Why was it important for you not to impose a strict age limit on competitors?

Competitions can help musicians develop and bring out the very best in themselves. At the same time, there is always an element of sport involved, which isn’t necessarily ideal for the arts. It can sometimes make performers less spontaneous on stage. By allowing a broader age range, we give space for artistic maturity and individual development, rather than focusing solely on age- related benchmarks.

 

Can you tell us about the orchestra and conductor in residence for the Final Round?

We are truly honoured to have the Philharmonia Orchestra, London, performing in the finals. It is a legendary ensemble, and I believe any musician would be proud to share the stage with them. And Tomàs Grau is an absolutely wonderful conductor! I worked with him recently and was very impressed. Taking on this role in a competition like this is not easy, but I believe he is an excellent choice to help bring out the very best in all our finalists.

 

The jury is not made up exclusively of cello performers. What was the philosophy behind this choice?

I saw this as an excellent opportunity to invite representatives from a broad spectrum of musical fields. The jury is exceptionally distinguished and, in many ways, unmatched, bringing together not only cellists, but also directors of major festivals and leading orchestras. I also made a conscious effort to think globally about our jurors, and in fact, the panel will be representing six different nations from around the world in all. I believe that this diversity allows for a more rounded and insightful evaluation of each performance which will be very important in helping us to identify who is truly most worthy of being a prizewinner of Classic Cello.

 

The participant list for this first edition is now confirmed. What were your impressions of the applicant pool, and how challenging was the selection process?

The overall level was remarkably high, with candidates ranging in age from 13 to 40. Perhaps what was most impressive of all was the sheer global nature of the applications; by the end of the registration period we had received auditions from cellists from more than 30 different countries, which is something unheard of for most contests of this nature. Narrowing the field down to just 40 cellists was not easy at all, but I am very happy with the final result. We have formed a truly diverse group, and our participant cohort will be bringing together players from over 20 different countries, and a wide range of musical traditions. It’s certain to be extremely interesting for us to witness, while also being a true representation of the cello world, especially when you take into consideration the repertoire, which ranges all the way from Bach up to the contemporary with pieces from our Composer-in-Residence Alexey Shor. In fact, the programme has been carefully planned with this in mind. Shor’s music is among the most frequently performed by a living composer in recent years, largely due to his wide-ranging concerto repertoire, as well as his romantic and highly melodic style. His pieces are part of the set compositions, and the interpretation of Shor’s works will play a significant role in the overall impression each participant leaves on the jury. His works demand a high level of technical virtuosity, artistic maturity and true mastery of the instrument in order to convey a personal and convincing interpretation, and we will be keeping an eye out for all these aspects during the competition.

 

Classic Cello offers cash prizes from first through ninth place, which is relatively uncommon. Why was this important to you?

Well, we felt that if a musician reaches the final stages of a competition they have already demonstrated an exceptional level of skill, commitment, and achievement, and this should be acknowledged. In my view, reaching the finals is an accomplishment in itself and deserves adequate recognition, which is why we have opted for this unorthodox prize system. Offering prizes beyond just the top few positions better reflects the effort and dedication required to reach that level, without diminishing the value of the top awards.

 

What are you most looking forward to as Classic Cello approaches?

I have a deep love for the cello and greatly enjoy listening to a wide variety of cellists. I value the opportunity to learn from each performance, and I am especially curious to observe how the jury responds to the different interpretations and artistic approaches. Ultimately, I truly believe that this will be a wonderful competition, and one that celebrates both the artistry of cellists and the richness of classical music itself!

 

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