Cellists over four age categories competed for a prize pool totalling €20,000 at the competition held in Klaipėda, Lithuania from 5 to 10 May 2025
The International Klaipėda David Geringas Cello Competition was held at the Klaipėda Concert Hall, Lithuania from 5 to 10 May 2025. The competition was open to cellists of all nationalities, under the age of 30, and was divided into junior and professional categories.
The professional category was won by Israeli-Belgian cellist Liav Kerbel (b.1995) who received first prize of €8,000. Kerbel also won the diploma for the best performance of the compulsory work, Sonata for Cello and Piano by Faustas Latėnas, as well as the Pau Casals Foundation Special Prize, consisting of a visit, performance and recording session at the Villa Casals in El Vendrell, Spain.
Joint second prize was awarded to South Korean cellist Minje Song (b.1995) and Armenian cellist Artyom Ioanisyan (b.2003), who each received €4,000.
Lithuanian cellist Augustas Gocentas (b.1997) won the David Geringas prize, comprising an invitation to take part in cello masterclasses at the Blackmore International Music Academy in Berlin.
The junior division of the competition was split into three groups: A (up to 10 years of age), B (up to 14 years of age) and C (up to 18 years of age).
In group C, Swiss cellist Chenaux Lyam Kaléo Gabriel (b.2009) won first prize of €1,000, as well as the diploma for the best performance of the compulsory work Respite and Jazz for cello and piano by Kasparas Šerpytis.
Second prize of €700 went to Israeli cellist Yael Ben Zaken (b.2008), Malaysian cellist Sin Jo Yap (b.2009) won third prize of €500, while Estonian cellist Maria Martin (b.2007) was awarded a diploma.
Zaken and Martin were both awarded the Art Without Borders Association Switzerland Scholarship for masterclasses established by Denis Severin.
In group B, Norwegian cellist Franz Ludvig Serafin Kraggerud (b.2013) won first prize of €400, Romanian cellist Tiago Suma (b.2012) and Spanish cellist Alicia Arriaza (b.2012) won joint second prize of €300 each, while joint third prize of €200 each went to Estonian cellist Tristan Ilves (b.2012), UK cellist Ray-Chinh Le (b.2013) and Estonian cellist Aleksandra Maria Tralla (b.2012).
Diplomas were awarded to Emilio Aguirre, Soyoon Jee, Dylan Scuffham, Ewa Kosmęda, Antoni Wilkanowski, Aleksandra Libenzon, Regina Kuzmicova, Rebeka Kuzmicova, David Sailer and Jonas Narutavičius.
In group A, Danish cellist Hannah Elisabeth Cao (b.2015) won first prize of €400, Mongolian cellist Misheel Battuvshin (b.2016) won second prize of €300, while joint third prize of €200 each went to Chinese cellists Hanzhang Xin (b.2015) and Minyu Wang (b.2015).
Diplomas were awarded to Sofija Narutavičiūtė and Sibilė Rukštelytė, both from Lithuania.
The jury was chaired by Ramutė Kalnėnaitė and comprised Ivan Karizna, Krzysztof Karpeta, Marcel Johannes Kits, Denis Severin, Shirley Smart and Razvan Suma.
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