The Scandinavian ensemble Opus13 took the top prize of €20,000, plus a host of special prizes including a recording and performance opportunities
The 11th Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition was held from 17 to 25 May as part of the Vibre! Festival 2025.
Opus13 from Norway and Sweden were awarded the grand first prize. The top prize includes €20,000, a quartet of bows by Edwin Clément, worth €40,000, as well as production of an album on the Mirare label to be distributed by PIAS/Harmonia Mundi, plus a concert tour.
The quartet also received the contemporary work prize of €2,000, the young audience award of €1,000 and the audience award.
Opus13, comprising violinists Sonoko Miriam Welde and Edvard Erdal, violist Albin Uusijärvi and cellist Daniel Thorell, previously won second prize at the 2022 Banff International String Quartet Competition and were awarded Norway’s Equinor Classical Music Prize in 2023.
The Terra Quartet from the US won second prize of €10,000, a set of BAM cases, an invitation to a series of masterclasses, and a concert in the ProQuartet season.
The Arete Quartet from South Korea won third prize of €5,000 and an invitation to the Saint-Jean de Lux/Ciboure Ravel Academy. All participants also received a €50 voucher to use in the Henle Library app.
This year’s jury was presided by Martin Beaver and comprised Corina Belcea, Helen Clement, Miguel da Silva, Valentin Erben and Anne Queffélec.
The Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition was established in 1999 and is held every three years. Previous grand-prizewinners include the Leonkoro Quartet, Marmen Quartet and Akilone Quartet.
Read: ‘A perfect balance between competition and festival’ - Postcard from Bordeaux Quartet Competition
Read: Six violinists progress to final round of Sibelius Violin Competition
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