The Franz Schubert and Modern Music Competition

Graz is back! February 2025 will see the next and 12th edition of Franz Schubert and Modern Music (FS&MM) in Graz, Austria.

With the categories Piano Trio, Lied Duo, and Piano Duo as a new category, the competition once again presents the unusual combination of contemporary works with the music of Franz Schubert. Schubert loved Graz, had many dear friends in the city – and still does so today.

The International Chamber Music Competition Franz Schubert and Modern Music was established by the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz in 1989 and is member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions and the Alink-Argerich-Foundation. Since then, every three years Graz becomes a hub for young musicians from all over the world.

Future-oriented and with the aim of preparing competitors for their professional future, the competition is looking for creative, imaginative and curious personalities, who are able to perform at the highest level and to reach and touch their listeners in many different ways through their ensemble playing in chamber music. FS&MM is not a competition like any other. Right from the start, it was about bringing Schubert’s chamber music into relation with both new and the latest works for the corresponding instrumentations. 

From left to right: Werner Strenger (Vice-Rector for Arts), Britta Reininghaus (Secretary General), Joseph Breinl (chair “Lied Duo”), Sivan Silver-Garburg (chair of “Piano Duo”) and Chia Chou (chair of “Piano Trio”).

Furthermore, with the international composition competition in the Piano Trio section since 2005 as well as commissioned works, the expansion of the chamber music repertoire gets actively promoted. British composer, and Master of the Queen’s Music, Judith Weir contributed the art song “On White Meadows” in 2022, and this time Annette Schlünz will compose the commissioned piece which is kept secret until the last moment, and which will have to be performed by the Lied Duo finalists after only 36 hours of study time.

Besides a number of quite innovative features like an extended jury in the finals made up by promoters and agents, the competition always offers contacts with concert organisers in order to provide national and international performance opportunities. It aims at providing an important stimulus for the artistic development of all competitors and takes up the challenge of making this competition become an important milestone for all participants.

On top, the competitions offer prize money totalling around €75,000 as well as career consultancy and supervision for the first prizewinners. In addition, the competition also offers qualified feedback from the jury members for all participants and workshops in the fields of career planning, self-management and the music outreach.

The lied is considered the jewel among musical genres: small in form, but precious and of inestimable value. The eleventh edition of the FSMM competition brings together tradition and modernity, the familiar and the unknown, the established and the surprising. And above all, singers and pianists from all over the world come together to celebrate music and immerse themselves in the wonderful and fascinating world of song.

Joseph Breinl

Chairman of the jury in the category Lied Duo

The 11th Edition of the FSMM competition shows again its highly demanding level, focusing equally on tradition and avant-garde, focusing equally on the past and the future. To succeed here, Piano Trios need to understand the classical, historical development of the genre and also be able to foresee and take on the future direction as well. This challenge requires the highest of musical skills and artistic creativity. 

Chia Chou

Chairman of the jury in the category Piano Trio

Performing the wonderfully vast, demanding and multi-faceted repertoire for piano duo requires a shared musical vision of the strongest unity. The new category for piano duos in this high-profile competition opens up exciting opportunities for excellent young ensembles from all over the world, enabling them to share their talents and artistry and effectively supporting its winners on their way to the international stages.

Sivan Silver-Garburg & Gil Garburg

Chairpersons of the jury in the category Piano Duo

07-15 February 2025 

Info: schubert.kug.ac.at

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