Maria Ioudenitch wins the Joseph Joachim violin competition in Hanover
The American violinist Maria Ioudenitch is the big winner of this year’s Joseph Joachim Violin Competition. The 25-year-old won the Joseph Joachim Prize, endowed with 30,000 euros, at the International Violin Competition in Hanover on Sunday evening. Together with the NDR Radiophilharmonie she played the violin concerto by Johannes Brahms and the commissioned work for the competition – “To play in the garden” by Manfred Trojahn.
A total of four violinists had made their appearances in the past two and a half weeks for the qualified final. Next to Ioudenitch were the Japanese Minami Yoshida, the German Chiara Sannicandro and the Spaniard Javier Comesaña. At the award ceremony, the jury chairwoman Carolin Widmann spoke of a simple and tight decision, with the nun, but all jurors being happy.
A Hanoverian favorite
The race between Ioudenitch and Comesaña should have been particularly close. At least in terms of the number of follow-up engagements that could die directly at the award ceremony, because 27 organizers and orchestra are cooperating with the competition, the Spaniard follows closely the US winner.
Comesaña was particularly well received by the Hanoverian orchestras: In the coming season, the 22-year-old will be heard as a soloist at a symphony concert at the State Opera as well as in the Funkhaus at the NDR Radiophilharmonie. The Guadagnini violin will also be heard, which he will receive on loan from the Fritz Behrens Foundation for three years.
Audience award goes to Germany
The audience award went to Chiara Sannicandro. All other awards – including the production and marketing of a debut album by Warner Classics, the chamber music prize and the best interpretation of the commissioned work – also went to Maria Ioudenitch.
The Joachim Violin Competition, which was held for the first time 30 years ago, took place for the first time under the artistic direction of Antje Weithaas and Oliver Wille. The 12th edition is scheduled to take place in Hanover in 2024.
From Stefan Arndt