The Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition (EOIVC)

The Fourth Triennial Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition (EOIVC) will be held from January 4 – 18, 2026 on the campus of Lynn University in Boca Raton, FL. Online submissions for entry will be accepted beginning in May 1, 2025. Submissions will close on September 12, 2025.

Applicants must be 18 years of age at the time of their submission and may not be more than 30 years of age by the conclusion of the competition, 11:59 p.m. (EST) on January 18, 2026. The fee to apply is $135. The application requires that applicants upload a legible copy of a valid passport or state-issued ID, minimum of 1200 X 1200px JPEG, 150-word bio, and a video submission with the required repertoire by the submission deadline.

All those who advance to the Preliminary Round of the EOIVC will be offered a travel stipend (up to $100 for domestic travel and up to $200 for international travel) and accommodations at the Sonesta Select (Boca Raton) that includes a continental breakfast as well as compensation for ground transportation up to a set amount for each round for as long as they are an active competitor.

Awards

• 1st Prize: $30,000 USD (plus career benefits defined as artist management and public relations support as well as concert and community engagements as well as a new violin, & new bow)
• 2nd Prize: $15,000 USD (new bow)
• 3rd Prize: $10,000 USD
• Honorable Mention: $5,000 USD 

Additional prizes may be awarded.

Repertoire: The repertoire for EOIVC 2026 consists of specific works for each round selected by EOIVC Founder & Artistic Director, Elmar Oliveira, and EOIVC 2026 Chairman of the Jury, Andrés Cárdenes. More information on repertoire can be found here.

Video Submission: Applications for consideration must include a video, that is submitted through Acceptd, that meets the following criteria with submission of the completed application and nonrefundable / nontransferable $135 entry fee. The video criteria are: 

• Video and audio must be of high quality.
• Each excerpt must be recorded in a single, continuous take.
• Video shall not include titles, fadeouts or video transitions.
• Excerpts can be recorded separately, however must be edited together into a single video.
• Applicants may only submit one video.
• Applicants must be clearly visible and unobstructed.
• Video recordings must be made within no more than 12 months of submission.
• DVDs and CDs will not be accepted.
• Failure to meet any of these criteria may result in immediate disqualification

Rounds: 
Round I Qualifying via online submissions only. 
Round II Preliminary (up to 20 Competitors, in-person): January 8-10, 2026
Round III Semi-final (up to 12 Competitors, in-person): January 13-14, 2026
Round IV Final (up to 4 Competitors, in-person) January 18, 2026

The final round will take place on January 18, at the Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center on Lynn’s campus. The four finalists will each perform one concerto—selected by the Competitor from the required repertoire list—with the Lynn Philharmonia under the direction of Gerald Karni. Winners will be chosen from the finalists and awards will be given in a ceremony following the final performance on January 18.

All Rounds are open to the public. All Rounds will be streamed on the Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition YouTube channel for free.

EOIVC 2026 Judging Personel: 
2026 EOIVC Jury: Andrés Cárdenes (Chairman of the Jury), Ilya Kaler, Ida Kavafian, Irina Muresanu, Philip Setzer, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, and Kyoko Takezawa. Scott Flavin will serve as an Alternate Jurist. 

2026 EOIVC Qualifying Selection Committee: Jennifer Frautschi, Lucia Lin, and Arnaud Sussmann

About the EOIVC
The EOIVC, a flagship program of the Elevar Foundation, is unique for the career-defining opportunities it offers to young violinists, ages 18-30.  The EOIVC is only the second competition of its kind solely dedicated to the violin that is based in the United States. Live streaming its inaugural concerts received more than 1.5 million views across multiple social media platforms.

The EOIVC is deeply committed to its mission of providing talented violinists, who are at the start of their careers, with networking, management, public relations, community engagement and concert opportunities in addition to a monetary prize. These long-term career development tools reach well beyond financial support, actively demonstrating the strong dedication of the EOIVC to cultivating and nurturing developing musicians as well as encouraging them to engage with the communities they serve.

For more information please visit elevarfoundation.org/eoivc. All questions about applying to the 2026 EOIVC should be directed to Jill Arbetter, Executive Director, Elevar Foundation, via email through jjarbetter@elmaroliveiraivc.org. 

For technical questions, please visit the Acceptd Help Desk.