Cello contestants announced for 2026 Queen Elisabeth Competition

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66 cellists will compete in the third cello edition of the competition, taking place in Brussels from 4 May 2026

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66 cellists have been selected to take part in the 2026 Queen Elisabeth Competition, which begins on 4 May in Flagey, Brussels.

The contestants were whittled down from 185 cellists aged between 18 to 30. For the preselection stage, candidates were required to submit video recordings of a programme including one of the Six Études for cello and piano, opus postumus by François Servais, Variations concertantes op.17 by Felix Mendelssohn, the Sonata for solo cello by Eugène Ysaÿe, as well as a work of their own choice for solo cello or with piano accompaniment, composed after 1950.

The preselection took place behind closed doors at the end of January 2026, with the jury presided by Gilles Ledure, comprising Natalie Clein, Roel Dieltiens, Valentin Erben, Benjamin Glorieux, Marie Hallynck, Anssi Karttunen, Jan Vogler, Marie Hallynck and Anssi Karttunen.

The first round of the competition will take place from 4 May to 9 May, where contestants will perform a Boccherini sonata as well as one of Meditation by Nikolai Roslavets, Ballade op. 3 by Josef Suk and 3 Pièces by Nadia Boulanger, plus Lullaby for solo cello by Kaija Saariaho.

24 semi-finalists will then be chosen to perform a recital as well as a concerto by Michael Haydn, Leopold Hofmann or Anton Kraft. These performances will take place from 11 May to 16 May with the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie, conducted by Vahan Mardirossian.

The final rounds will take place from 25 May to 30 May, where twelve finalists will perform the competition’s imposed commissioned work - learnt by contestants in isolation - as well as a concerto for their own choice with the Belgian National Orchestra, under the baton of Antony Hermus.

Marking the 75th anniversary of the competition, as well as the 150th anniversaries of Queen Elisabeth and the cellist Pablo Casals, the Goffriller cello ‘Casals’ will be loaned for four years to the first laureate of the 2026 Competition.

The top prizewinner will receive the Queen Mathilde Prize of €25,000, with prizes of €20,000, €17,000, €12,500, €10,000 and €8,000 for second to sixth prize respectively. Each of the six unranked laureates will receive €4,000.

2026 marks the third edition of the cello competition, which was won in its inaugural edition in 2017 by Victor Julien-Laferrière, and in 2022 by Hayoung Choi.

Read: Winner of the 2026 Queen Elisabeth Competition to receive Pablo Casals’ Gofriller cello

Read: Postcard from Brussels: 2024 Queen Elisabeth Competition

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The full list of contestants is as follows:

Felix Brunnenkant

Andrew Ilhoon Byun

Maxim Calver

Jiwoong Chae

Tzu-Shao Chao

Jihyeuk Choi

Roric Cunningham

Clara Dietlin