The Primrose International Viola Competition is one of the most prestigious competitions for viola in the world and will take place this year from June 17th through the 22nd in Los Angeles, California. Hosted every three years by the Colburn School and the American Viola Society in Los Angeles, it pays homage to one of the most influential violists of all time, William Primrose. The prize pool this year is 32,000 USD, with 15,000 going to the first prize finisher along with concert opportunities.

The Legacy of William Primrose

William Primrose (1904-1982) is perhaps the most influential violist of the 20th century and was particularly notable for his popularization of the viola as a solo instrument. Watch him play his transcription Paganini’s 24th caprice below:

Scottish born, Primrose’s performed with orchestras around the world. He even collaborated with composers such as Bartók, Walton, and Hindemith. While a monumental figure in performance, he is also remembered as a pedagogue of the highest calibre.

The Jury

The jury for this year’s competition is headed by Tim Frederiksen, former principal viola player and leader of the Danish National Symphony Orchestra. Frederiksen has had a particularly monumental influence on chamber music as an educator, mentoring world-class groups like The Danish String Quartet and the Novo Quartet. The full jury list can be found here.

Participant List

The competitors this year for the 2024 Primrose International Viola Competition are as follows:

• Leslie Ashworth (Canada)
• Keoni Bolding (United States of America)
• Hsiang-Hsin Ching (Taiwan)
• Toby Cook (United Kingdom)
• Riko Eto (Japan)
• Andjela Josifoski (Serbia)
• Yong Ha Jung (South Korea)
• Yunji Jang (South Korea)
• Annariina Jokela (Finland)
• Mao Konishi (Japan)
• Katie Liu (United States of America)
• Laura Liu (United States of America)
• Wilhelm Magner (Canada)
• David Montreuil (Canada)
• Andy Park (United States of America)
• Haneul Park (South Korea)
• Karolina Errera Pavon (Russia)
• JungAhn Shin (South Korea)
• Otoha Tabata (Japan)
• Guohan Tang (China)
• Duleen Van Gunsteren (Netherlands)
• Kinga Wojdalska (Poland)
• Xunyu Zhou (China)
• Emad Zolfaghari (Canada)

The Competition

First Round

The Competitors are asked for a range of repertoire, intended to display their technical and musical diversity.

1. One Major Work for Solo Viola: The options include works by composers such as Paul Hindemith, Max Reger, and Ernst Krenek.
2. Piece of Choice with Piano Accompaniment: Competitors must select a piece with piano accompaniment from one of the following categories: Transcribed piece for viola by either themselves or by William Primrose.
3. A Piece by a Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) Composer: While a suggested list of works is available, competitors have the freedom to choose a piece by a BIPOC composer of their preference, ensuring they meet this requirement.

Semi-Finals

8 of the 24 competitors will be allowed to participate in the semi-final round. They will be asked to play the following

1. Johann Sebastian Bach: Two contrasting movements from a solo work by Bach.
2. Commissioned Work by Nokuthula Ngwenyama: An original composition for viola and piano lasting 5-7 minutes.
3. Major Work for Viola and Piano: A complete major work, such as the Clarke Sonata, Brahms Sonata, Hindemith Sonata, or others.

The Grand Finale

For the final round, the three finalists will be asked to play a work, either in a chamber or orchestral setting. There options are:

1. Claude Debussy Trio for Flute, Viola, and Pedal Harp (1915) in its entirety.
2. Choice between either the Bela Bartók Viola Concerto (ed. Serly) or William Walton Viola Concerto with orchestra.

Best of luck to all the competitors!

Find out more about The Primrose International Viola Competition here