Ten string quartets selected for 2026 Bad Tölz International String Quartet Competition

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Ten string quartets have been selected to compete in the second edition of the Bad Tölz International String Quartet Competition, which takes place from 10 to 15 April 2026 in Bad Tölz, Germany.

The ensembles were selected by an international jury, chaired by Krzysztof Chorzelski, violist of the Belcea Quartet, from 35 applications from around the world.

The quartets are:

Absalom Quartet (Denmark)

Alinea Quartet (Austria)

Ast Quartet (South Korea, Spain)

Atenea Quartet (Spain, Switzerland)

Isla Quartet (UK)

Kandinsky Quartet (Austria)

Moser Quartet (Switzerland)

Quartet Kairi (Japan, Austria)

Quartetto Pegreffi (Italy)

Turicum Quartet (Switzerland)

The competitors will have the chance to perform in a three-stage competition: the main round on 10 April, comprising Haydn, Romantic and modern works; semi-final on 11 April, comprising commissioned work by Berlin composer Jean-Sélim Abdelmoula and late-Mozart; and the final round on 12 April, comprising Bartok and late-Beethoven.

The top three competition prizewinners will perform in concerts on 13, 14 and 15 April.

The total prize money is €53,000 and the first prizewinner of the competition will be invited to the second Tölz Winners’ Summit 2027 festival in January 2027, together with the winners of the string quartet competitions in Munich, London, Bordeaux, Reggio Emilia, Banff, and Osaka.

The jury will be chaired by Chorzelski, and will comprise Mark Steinberg, Oliver Wille, Jonathan Brown, John Myerscough, Estelle Choi, Andrea Hampl and Holger Busse.

The previous edition of the Bad Tölz International String Quartet Competition was held in 2023, and was won by the Chaos Quartet.