Cellist Michal Riefeld receives the first prize of €8,000
The eleventh edition of the Cello Biënnale Amsterdam took place between 29 October and 7 November. The National Cello Competition formed part of the programme and was open to Dutch cellists as well as international cellists currently studying in the Netherlands. In the final round, the cellists each performed Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto no.1 with the Conservatorium van Amsterdam Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leonard Elschenbroich.
This year, the first prize was awarded to Israeli cellist Michal Riefeld (b.2003). He receives €8,000 and the opportunity to produce a debut recording, offered by Sena Performers and the TRPTK record label.
The €6,000 second prize went to Dutch cellist Jurre Koopmans (b.2002), along with the €1,000 prize for the best interpretation of the competition’s commissioned work by Karmit Fadeal and the audience prize of €1,000. The €4,000 third prize was won by Taiwanese cellist Yi-I Stephanie Yang. All three finalists also received cello cases by GEWA and a photoshoot with photographer Sarah Wijzenbeek
Dutch cellist Andrej van Brakel (b.2005) received both the €2,000 encouragement prize and the Start in Splendor prize, offering the budget and opportunity to programme his own concert. A scholarship to attend the 2027 Cellissimo Academy masterclasses in Budapest was awarded to French cellist Anaëlle Couette.
All participants in the second round additionally received new strings from Cellowinkel.
Riefeld currently studies at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam with Pieter Wispelwey, having previously studied at Tel Aviv University with Hillel Zori. Among her accolades, she won first prize at the 2022 Buchmann-Mehta Strings Competition and has performed with ensembles including the Young Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra and the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra. She performs with a 1785 Benjamin Banks cello and an 1870 F.N. Voirin bow on loan from the Netherlands Musical Instrument Foundation.
This year’s jury was chaired by Sven Arne Tepl and comprised Chu Yi-Bing, Jan Ype Nota, Giovanni Gnocchi, Ildikó Szabó, Emmanuelle Bertrand, Liza Ferschtman and Patty Hamel.
‘Every note comes straight from your heart,’ Tepl told Riefeld. ‘You are a passionate storyteller.’
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