The 9th International Fritz Kreisler Competition took place from 20 to 30 September of this year, with the mdw’s Joseph Haydn-Saal serving as the venue for its “Preselection” and “Semi-Final” rounds. Competition namesake Fritz Kreisler (1875–1962) began his career as a child prodigy and studied with Josef Hellmesberger and Anton Bruckner in Vienna and with Joseph Massarat and Leo Delibes in Paris. And by age 12, Kreisler had already been awarded the Paris Conservatory’s highest honour: the Premier Prix.
The International Fritz Kreisler Society has been holding its competition every four years since 1979. This year’s “Final I” round took place in the Vienna Musikverein’s Brahms-Saal, with the competition’s subsequent “Gala Final” held in the Musikverein’s Great Hall and accompanied by the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra. 2018’s 1st prize was won by Milan Al-Ashhab, with Alice Lee taking the 2nd prize and Paul Kropfitsch—who’s just completed the mdw’s preparatory program and will now be commencing his university-level studies here—claiming the 3rd prize.
- You can stream the Preselection, Semi-Final, and Final I rounds via the mdw Mediathek: mediathek.mdw.ac.at
- Website of the competition: www.fritzkreisler.com
