The competition took place entirely online this year

Geneva Lewis and Gabriel Martins

Geneva Lewis and Gabriel Martins have won the 2020 Grand Prize

The Concert Artists Guild Victor Elmaleh Competition has awarded the 2020 Grand Prize to American-Brazilian cellist Gabriel Martins and violinist Geneva Lewis, who comes from New Zealand.

They will receive international management jointly with CAG and the Young Classical Artists Trust, opportunities for performances at the Merkin Concert Hall in New York and Wigmore Hall in London, as well as professional career development and coaching. 

Currently pursuing postgraduate studies with Laurence Lesser at the New England Conservatory of Music, 22-year-old Martins is the first-prize winner of the 2020 Sphinx Competition and has won major prizes in the 2013 David Popper International Cello Competition, 2014 International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians, 2018 Orford Music Award, 2018 Prague Spring International Music Competition, and 2020 Schadt String Competition.

A prize-winner at the 2015 ENKOR competition, 22-year-old Lewis is currently studying with Miriam Fried at the New England Conservatory of Music.

Read: Cellist, violist and trio among the 2019 Concert Artists Guild winners

The Ambassador Prize, which includes North American management, career mentorship and educational residency opportunities, was awarded to percussionist Britton-René Collins, the Empire Wild mixed trio and violinist Ariel Horowitz.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this year’s competition took place entirely online.