Washington International Competition

2022 69th Annual Washington International Competition for Strings
Sponsored by the Friday Morning Music Club Foundation

The 2022 Competition for Violin, Viola & Cello semifinals will take place at George Washington University in the Benjamin T. Rome Music Hall at 801 22nd Street, NW, on Friday & Saturday, May 27-28, 2022 at 9:00 am. 

Finals will take place on May 29, 2022, at 2:00 pm in the Terrace Theater of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. 

Questions?

• For repertoire and general questions, please contact the Competition Chairman, JOHN KABOFF at WICStrings2022@aol.com

• For technical questions, please visit the Acceptd Help Desk.

Please visit our website here for more information.

Competition History and Purpose

The Washington International Competition (WIC) was established in 1950 to support outstanding young classical musicians in their pursuit of professional careers. The WIC occurs in a three-year rotation for piano, strings, and voice.

As of 1976, a competition for composition of a chamber work for 3 to 5 players - string trio, string quartet, piano trio, piano quartet, or piano quintet – is also held concurrently with the strings’ competition.

Prizes

• Christophe Landon Rare Violins Grand Prize:

         An instrument loan for 1 year of a Violin, Viola, and Cello,
         valued at up to $500,000 to each first place winner

• First prize for violin, viola, cello: $10,000 each
• Second prize for violin, viola, cello: $5,000 each
• Audience prize: $1,000
• Solo appearance for the 1st place cellist @ the Tennessee Cello Workshop, January 2023, $1000 honorarium.

Performance Awards

Solo performance opportunities in Washington DC include:

a solo recital in the Terrace Theater of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Alice Nagle Fund)
a solo appearance with the FMMC Avanti Orchestra.

Eligibility

• Applicants must be between the ages of 18 and 28 (as of May 27, 2022, the date of the competition).
• Proof of age will be required.
• Applicants must not be under professional management.
• Previous first-prize winners of the competition may not apply
• Current students of the judges may not apply

Application Fee: $150 - Application is non-refundable

Housing and Transportation

• The WIC provides local housing for all semi-finalists
  
• With local transportation and meals offered at the convenience of hosts.
• Housing is available for all semifinalists from May 25- May 29. 

Application Deadlines

Applications will be accepted from September 15, 2021 - February 1, 2022.

Deadline is February 1, 2022, by 11:59 pm EST.

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REQUIRED REPERTOIRE

1. One unaccompanied sonata, partita, or suite for violin, viola (transcribed), or cello by J.S. Bach
2. One sonata with piano from the Classical, Romantic, Impressionist, or Contemporary period
3. One concerto or major piece with orchestra by a composer other than the ones chosen for category 1 or 2
4. One short work or movement from a longer work which shows virtuosity
5. One unaccompanied solo work by a 20th- or 21st-century composer

Application Video

Submit a maximum of 30 minutes, chosen from your required repertoire, for the audition video. The selections should present an accurate representation of your playing.

The video must contain:

• 5 minutes or less from the Bach selection.
• 12 minutes or less from the sonata selection.
• 13 minutes or less from the concerto selection (include cadenza if applicable but no extensive tutti).

List of format and video instructions can be found at app.getacceptd.com/wic.

IMPORTANT

• Please DO NOT include your name in the file name of your video recording.
• All submitted video selections must come from the submitted repertoire list.
• No substitutions or edits will be allowed for submitted repertoire once the application is finalized.
• Applicants must be prepared to present all repertoire on list if chosen to participate in the semifinals.

• All selections must be performed from memory, both on the video and in the live auditions, with the exception of accompanied sonatas and the work in Category 5.
• Contestants should be prepared to perform all submitted repertoire in their entirety for the semifinal and final rounds.
• changes in repertoire permitted past the deadline date on February 1, 2022.
• A separate preliminary round jury will review submissions and select approximately 10 semifinalists for each category: violin, viola & cello. 
• All applicants will be notified of the results by Early March 2022.
• Semifinalists will be sent further instructions as needed.
  

• Annie Fullard, Violin, Cavani Quartet
  
• Daniel Foster, Viola, Principal Violist, The National Symphony Orchestra
• Emilio Colon, Cello,  International Soloist, Faculty at Indiana University

Additional Information

1. FMMC Foundation assumes no responsibility for actions of or injuries sustained by applicants or their escorts during their course of stay in the Washington, DC area.
2. All contestants are responsible for transportation to and from Washington, DC.
3. The decision of the judges is final and not to be disputed. No contact with the judges is permitted until after the results have been announced.
4. The WIC reserves the right to use any recordings or photographs originated during the competitions, or any photographs or recordings provided by the contestants.