International Johannes Brahms Competition Pörtschach (Cello)

The competition has taken place annually since 1993. The event is held in Pörtschach am Wörthersee, Austria, where Johannes Brahms occasionally stayed during the summer. The competition in each discipline comprises three rounds. In the first round musicians must perform pieces from a given list. The emphasis is on demonstrating a mastery of the instrument in question. As this stage serves to reduce the field of candidates to a manageable number the points from round one are not carried forward, thus everyone begins the second round on an equal footing. It is here that power of expression, personal style and artistry come to the fore. Since the scores for the second round and third round are added, victory goes to the candidate who consistently performs very well, rather than a musician who produces an isolated display of excellence.