Seth Schultheis (USA) prevailed on Saturday evening at the Telekom Forum, winning the final of the Telekom Beethoven Competition in Bonn against Amir Ron (Israel) and Jonas Stark (Germany). The Audience Prize was awarded to Amir Ron.
Foto: Seth Schultheis (© Norbert Ittermann für Telekom Beethoven Competition)
Seth Schultheis from the United States is the winner of this year’s Telekom Beethoven Competition (TBC). In the final, Schultheis came out on top ahead of second-place finalist Amir Ron from Israel and third-place finalist Jonas Stark from Germany. Schultheis impressed the jury with his interpretation of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Second Piano Concerto, accompanied by the Beethoven Orchestra Bonn conducted by Oksana Lyniv.
All finalists will receive prize money and concert engagements, including appearances at the Beethovenfest Bonn:
• 1st Prize: €50,000
• 2nd Prize: €25,000
• 3rd Prize: €10,000
Amir Ron wins over the Bonn audience
As in previous years, the audience at the Telekom Forum in Bonn was invited to vote for their favourite performer at the end of the evening. Amir Ron emerged as the winner of the Audience Prize, which was presented to him by Pavel Gililov.
On the evening of 13 December, the competition concluded with the awards ceremony, during which the 1st Prize (€50,000), 2nd Prize (€25,000), and 3rd Prize (€10,000) were officially announced and presented to the prize winners.
All prize winners of the Telekom Beethoven Competition 2025
In addition to the three main prizes, numerous special prizes were awarded throughout the competition. These prizes recognise not only technical excellence but also artistic personality, communicative power, and the ability to bring Beethoven’s music into the present day. The following special prizes were awarded this year:
• Schumann Prize (€1,000): Wouter Valvekens (Belgium)
• Beethoven-Haus Prize (€1,000 + concert engagement): Ildikó Rozsonits (Hungary)
• NEW: Best interpretation of a work by a female composer in the second round (€1,000): Gyutae Ha (South Korea)
• Best interpretation of a 21st-century work: Jonas Stark (Germany)
• Chamber Music Special Prize, donated by the Beethoven Trio Bonn (€2,000): Seth Schultheis (USA)
The International Telekom Beethoven Competition was presented by Beethovenfest Bonn.
The next TBC will take place from 3 to 13 December 2027.