vocal and instrumental soloists as well as vocal and instrumental ensembles of any nationality.
Musicians born on or after 16th of May 1989 are eligible to participate (for ensembles this applies to all musicians within the ensemble!).

• EUR 5.000,– sponsored by Capital Bank.

• Concert recital at the ›Internationale Barocktage Stift Melk‹

Assessment by jury and audience
• EUR 1.000,– sponsored by Prof. Gerhard Stabentheiner, the president of the Friends Association of the >Internationale Barocktage Stift Melk<

Full application (incl. the YouTube-links to the recordings and the proof of payment) must be received by the promoter by the closing date of March 13th, 2024. Only complete applications will be considered for the initial short-listing.

After the pre-selection process has been successfully completed, the approved applicants will receive an invitation to the competition on site in Melk by April 17th, 2024 by e-mail.

The program will be extended by 1 additional piece to approx. 25 minutes. The jury will choose the pieces to be performed during the audition from the repertoire submitted up to that point (consisting of the 3 pieces from the preliminary round and the additional piece for the 2nd round).

Note: If a répétiteur is needed, we will be happy to make a suggestion. However, the desired répétiteur must be organized and paid for by yourself. Also possible additional rehearsals (as provided by us on site) have to be arranged and organized by yourself.

From the pieces of the two preliminary rounds, the finalists themselves select a 10-minute concert programme for the public finalist concert, which they perform in front of the jury and audience.

Please note: If you wish to engage an accompanist it is up to you to get in touch with her/him! On demand we will gladly send you a list of possible accompanists. Please consider that you have to pay the accompanist and that the rehearsal times are limited.

Musicians born on or after May 16, 1989 are eligible to participate. This age limit applies to all ensemble members.

• Fully completed online application form
• Letter of motivation
• curriculum vitae / resume
• current printable photo (300 dpi)
• copy of passport or identity card
• application fee
• YouTube links of the 3 recordings (3 recordings of works, at least one of which must be from a different (national) style; it is also important that the 3 works differ in their style (virtuoso, expressive, cantabile, etc.).

The recordings will be uploaded by the applicant via YouTube and the 3 links in the online application form including the piece information will be sent.

The pieces of the program must be composed between 1550 and 1750 and must be performed on historical instruments or their replicas.

Solists: € 60,-

Ensembles: € 90

The registration fee must be transferred by bank transfer, free of charge for the recipient, to the following account by March 13, 2024:

HYPO NOE Landesbank AG
Account holder: Wachau Kultur Melk GmbH
IBAN: AT65 5300 0064 5222 4109, BIC: HYPNATWW
Purpose of payment: [full name] / Competition 2024

The registration fee cannot be refunded, even if there is no invitation to the 2nd round / audition round.

The complete application documents (incl. upload of sound recordings and confirmation of payment of the application fee) must be received by March 13, 2024. Only complete applications can be used for participation in the pre-selection.

Eva-Maria Sens – Head juror
Bernarda Fink – Voice
Johannes Pramsohler – String instruments
Rainer Johannsen – Wind instruments
Florian Birsak – Keyboard instruments

The complete application documents (incl. upload of the selected pieces and confirmation of payment of the application fee) must be received by March 13, 2024. Only complete applications will be considered for participation in the pre-selection.

After the pre-selection has been made, the approved applicants will receive an invitation to the competition on site in Melk by e-mail by April 17, 2024.

On Wed, May 15, 2024, the on-site registration for the competition will take place for the admitted participants of the 2nd round, and all musicians will have to identify themselves personally on site. On the same day, there will also be a short get-together as well as a welcome by the jury chairperson Eva-Maria Sens and an inspection of the rehearsal rooms and the audition room. 
Optionally, rehearsals will also be offered in the audition room during the day on Wednesday, so that it can be played in advance, since the hearings will be held all day on Thursday and rehearsals will no longer be possible there.

Thursday, May 16, 2024 in the Dietmayr Hall of Melk Abbey

Saturday, May 18, 2024 at 3:30 pm in the Baroque Cellar of Melk Abbey

competition(at)wachaukulturmelk.at
Wachau Kultur Melk GmbH
Jakob Prandtauer-Straße 11
A-3390 Melk

1993 - 1. Prize: not awarded | 2. Prize: Blockflötenensemble Schwertberg (Austria) 
1996 - 1. Prize: Susanne Pumhösl, Cembalo (Austria)
1999 - 1. Prize: not awarded | 2. Prize: Benedikt Csalog, Traversflöte (Hungary) / Maria Mittermayr, traversflöte (Austria) / Maia Silberstein, Barockvioline (Belgium)
2002 - 1. Prize: Barbara Tisler, Sopran (Slowenia) | Johann Heinrich Schmelzer Prize: Barbara Tisler, Sopran (Slowenia)
2005 - 1. Prize: Ensemble Vivante (Austria)
2008 - 1. Prize: Duo Lasaulinier (France) | Ensembleprize: Michael Hell, Cembalist mit Ensemble Vezzoso (Germany)
2011 - 1. Prize: Jan van Hoecke, Blockflöte (Switzerland), Anne Freitag Traversflöte (Switzerland) | Audience Award: Jan van Hoecke, Blockflöte (Switzerland)
2014 - 1. Prize: Tabea Debus, Blockflöte (Germany)
2017 - Maximilian Volbers (Flute)
2020/2022 - Johann Heinrich Schmelzer Prize (shared): Sophia Aretz, Traversflöte (Germany) und Johanna Rosa Falkinger, Sopran (Austria)