Bucharest, June 10, 2020
2020 George Enescu International Competition ends its application process with great results despite pandemic
272 young artists from 41 countries participate in the Competition out of a total of 292 candidates entered from 42 countries
A number of 272 young musicians from 41 countries are registered to participate in the
Cello, Violin, Piano, and Composition Sections of the 2020 George Enescu International
Competition, to take place between August 29 and September 20. The high number of
competitors represents a remarkable success, given the conditions imposed by the
pandemic and social isolation. A total of 292 young musicians from 42 countries have
applied, out of whom, after the preselection round for the Cello Section, 272 candidates
remained in the contest.
The preselection process – according to the Competition rules – was only necessary for the Cello
Section, where the number of registered candidates (105) exceeded the maximum number of
competitors that can be assessed by the jury during the Competition (85). The preselection was
made after the registration ended on May 29, by a jury consisted of Răzvan Suma, professor at
the National University of Music in Bucharest and soloist of the National Radio Orchestra; Vasile
Jucan, rector of the National Academy “Gheorghe Dima” in Cluj; and Filip Papa, member of the
“Ad libitum” quartet Iași.
The number of candidates registered to compete in each Section at this time is 85 – Cello;
80 – Violin; 86 – Piano; and 21 candidates, with 26 works – Composition.
„We are very appreciative of the amazing willingness shown by young musicians from all over
the world in registering for the 2020 Enescu Competition. Your decision to show up in
Bucharest, in September, and compete through the chaos of the post-pandemic world illustrates
your commitment to music, to excellence in artistic performance, and a daring vision of the
future. It stands also as a testament to your resilient spirit and unwavering passion for music.
Thank you for rising to the challenge! It has been proven time and again that the Enescu
Competition is a major opportunity for emerging musicians, with a huge impact on their musical
career and the power to change their artistic life forever. Be inspired, follow your dream, and
enjoy this experience, for it will be the journey of a lifetime!”, declared Vladimir Jurowski,
the Artistic Director of the George Enescu International Competition and Festival.
The largest number of competitors comes from South Korea – 50 (19 in the Cello Section, 11 in
the Violin Section, and 18 in the Piano Section). The second-highest number of entries is from Romania with 27 registered participants – 5 for Cello, 9 for Violin, and 13 for Piano. In the third
place is China with 21 candidates (5 coming from Hong Kong).
The number of participants from Europe is 131. Following Romania, the countries with the
largest participation are France (13), Russia (13), Italy (12) Germany (10), and Great Britain
(10). Competitors are coming from far away countries as well, such as New Zealand (3),
Australia (2), and also 2 candidates from Mexico.
The youngest competitors for each section are JaeMin Han, 14 years old, South Korea (Cello);
Nakyung Kang, 17, South Korea (Violin); Siyang Rao, 14, China (Piano); and Eden Lonsdale,
24 years old, Great Britain (Composition).
The complete list of candidates will be published on www.festivalenescu.ro .
The 2020 Enescu Competition is advancing as planned, for the time being, preparing a series of
health and safety procedures to be implemented this September. The Competition’s organizers
trust the measures implemented at the national and international levels for the management of
COVID-19. In the event of force majeure, the organizers will fully refund registered candidates
the application fees paid (including those who have not passed the preselection stage).
George Enescu Competition is an international platform for launching the future world-class
musicians and for promoting the compositions of the great Romanian composer to the new
generation of artists. It is thus a natural extension of the George Enescu Festival, the most
important cultural event organized in Romania. The 2020 Edition is scheduled to take place
between August 29 and September 20, 2020. The Competition has four sections – violin, cello,
piano, and composition – and is the most important classical music competition organized in
Romania, in compliance with international standards. This year’s Program includes 19 concerts
and recitals open to the general public.