In a final round celebrating concertos by composer and double bassist Johannes Sperger, Spanish bassist David Santos Luque took home the top prize on Sunday

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From left: Igor Šajatovič, David Santos Luque, José Trigo and Moritz Tunn

Spanish double bass player David Santos Luque has won first prize in the International Johann Matthias Sperger Competition for double bass 2022. Held in Rostock, Santos Luque was declared the winner following the final round of the competition on Sunday 3 April.

He received a cash prize of € 8500, donated by the Oscar and Vera Ritter Foundation Hamburg, as well as the special prize for the best interpretation of the contemporary compulsory piece by Toshio Hosokawa.

The second prize of € 4500, donated by Guido Mariotto and Dorin Marc, went to José Trigo from Portugal, who also won the audience prize. Third prize of €2500, donated by Günter Klaus, went to Moritz Tunn from Germany, while Croatian musician Igor Šajatovič won fourth prize of a bow from master bow makers Roland and Matthias Penzel.

The finalists were accompanied by the Norddeutsche Philharmonie Rostock. The prize winners also receive concert engagements. 

More than 80 double bassists from all over the world had applied for this year’s competition. The international jury consisted of Michinori Bunya (jury chair), Enrico Fagone, Christine Hoock, Dorin Marc, David Sinclair, Gunãrs Upatnieks and Yung- Chiao Wei. 

The Sperger Competition is one of the largest competitions for double bass in the world. Held every two years, the competition is organised by the International J.M. Sperger Society and was held at the Rostock Academy of Music and Theatre. NDR Kultur plans to broadcast a programme about the competition in the series Das Konzert in April.