Queen Elisabeth Competition

One of the world’s most outstanding international music competitions, the Queen Elisabeth counts musicians of the highest calibre among its prize winners. Its historical roots go back to 1930, when Eugène Ysaye, the Queen’s Kapellmeister, violin teacher and friend, introduced the idea of a competition for musicians. It was not until after his death that the Eugène Ysaye Competition was first organised in 1937 under the patronage of Queen Elisabeth of Belgium, an accomplished violinist. The competition did not take place during the Second World War, but was relaunched successfully in 1951 as the ‘Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition’. 

In order to offer greater continuity to its enthusiastic audience and various partners, the Queen Elisabeth Competition organises its competitions in a four-year cycle. Knowledge of an extensive and demanding repertoire is required and applications from all over the world are received. Past jury members include Yehudi Menuhin, David Oistrakh, Isaac Stern, Arthur Rubinstein, Emile Guilels, Grace Bumbry, Dame Joan Sutherland and José Van Dam.

The Queen Elisabeth Competition is pleased to include the cello as of 2017. 

AmCham EU has also partnered with the Phillips Collection in Washington, DC, where the winners of the Queen Elisabeth Competition will give a performance in the autumn of 2017.