Cellists step into spotlight as Queen Elisabeth Competition commences
The Queen Elisabeth Competition for cello begins on Monday, with the first rounds taking place at Flagey in Brussels from 4-9 May. The prestigious competition is celebrating its 75th edition this year, while also marking the 150th birthdays of Queen Elisabeth and the Catalan cellist Pablo Casals, with whom the Queen shared a close friendship.
It is only the third time the competition has been dedicated to the cello, the youngest discipline within the Queen Elisabeth Competition alongside violin, piano and singing. The first cello edition was held in 2017 and won by French cellist Victor Julien-Laferrière, while South Korean Hayoung Choi took first prize in 2022.
A total of 64 young cellists from more than 20 countries have been selected for the opening round, although there are no Belgian candidates this year. Germany is the best-represented country with 10 participants, followed by South Korea and the United States with seven each. The absence of Belgian musicians comes a year after pianist Valère Burnon finished third in the piano competition.
How the competition unfolds
The competition follows its traditional elimination format. During the first round, candidates must perform a sonata by Luigi Boccherini with cello accompaniment, one of three selected works with piano accompaniment — Meditation by Nikolai Roslavets, Ballade op. 3 by Josef Suk or 3 Pièces by Nadia Boulanger — as well as Lullaby for solo cello by Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho.
The 24 semi-finalists, to be announced after 9 May, will perform between 11 and 16 May with the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie. In addition to a concerto and recital programme, candidates will give the world premiere of the compulsory work Caffeine by Belgian composer Harold Noben, who, according to the organisers, has developed “his own musical language”, “free from a predetermined framework”.
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As tradition dictates, the 12 finalists will then spend a week in seclusion at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, where they will prepare the second compulsory work, Four Odes to the Tidings of Flowers by Chinese-American composer Fang Man. Her music is described by the competition as “rooted in Chinese literary and philosophical traditions and shaped by Western musical aesthetics”.
During the final week, beginning on 25 May, finalists will perform a concerto of their choice with the Belgian National Orchestra under conductor Antony Hermus.
This year’s winner will receive a particularly symbolic prize: the use for four years of Pablo Casals’ historic Goffriller cello, built in 1733 by Matteo Goffriller. The instrument will also go on display at Bozar from 25 May.
Exhibitions to accompany the music
Alongside the competition, several exhibitions and events are being organised in Brussels. Visitors to Flagey can discover an exhibition dedicated to 75 years of competition history and the ties between the Belgian royal family and the cello.
Queen Mathilde is due to visit the exhibition on Monday before attending part of the first round. Later in the month, Bozar will host a cello-themed nocturne featuring a concert by Julien-Laferrière and an exhibition dedicated to Casals.
Where to watch
First round: 4-9 May, available via livestream on the competition website or live at Flagey.
Semi-final: 11-16 May, live on Klara and VRT MAX, on VRT Canvas and Ketnet.
Final: 25-30 May, live on Klara and VRT MAX, from Monday to Friday on Ketnet and on Saturday on VRT Canvas.
Korean cellist Taeguk Mun performs during a royal visit to the semi finals of the Queen Elisabeth Competition at Flagey concert hall, May 2022 © BELGA PHOTO NICOLAS MAETERLINCK
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