The craftsmanship and sound of the instruments are judged by an international jury, which comprises five violin makers and two virtuoso violinists – Poland’s Bartosz Bryła and Laura Hamilton, Principal Concertmaster of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York.
The winning instrument will enrich Poland’s national collection of string instruments and its maker will receive EUR 16,000 in cash prize.
Founded in 1952 and held every five years, the competition in Poznań is one of the world’s top events of its kind.
Henryk Wieniawski (1835-1880), to whom it is dedicated, was regarded as one of the greatest violinists after Paganini. He was a child prodigy, who entered the Paris Conservatory at the age of eight. His compositional output includes two violin concertos, mazurkas, polonaises, etudes and caprices.
(mk)