“Before we announce the list of winners, I would like to stress that each of this year’s contestants is a brilliant artist who deserves major distinctions. I hope – I am even sure – that we will hear about all of you many times in the future,” commented during the closing gala on Saturday Aneta Norek-Skrycka, President of the Zbigniew Seifert Foundation, which organised the Zbigniew Seifert International Jazz Violin Competition.
After the three audition days at the Krzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music in Lusławice, the competition jury (Mark Feldman, Erik Friedlander, Dominique Pifarély and Michał Urbaniak) decided to present the 1st prize (of EUR 10,000) to the violinist Mario Forte. He is well known to those who have faithfully followed our competition over the years. He was already awarded in the previous edition (won the 3rd prize). Born in Algieria, adopted and brought up by an Italian-French family, he currently lives in New York, where he shares his time between a concert career and teaching.
The 2nd prize (EUR 5,000) has been awarded to Layth Sidiq from Jordan,and the 3rd (EUR 2,000) – to Gabriel Terracciano from the United States.
The online vote for the audience award (via the Competition’s website) was won by this year’s youngest participant, Amalia Obrębowska. Notably, she is currently studying at Warsaw’s Fryderyk Chopin University of Music with Mateusz Smoczyński – the 2016 Seifert Competition winner.
Special awards in the form of invitations to perform at festivals have also been granted in the 3rd Seifert Competition. Mario Forte has been invited to play at the Urbanator Days in Warsaw, while Amalia Obrębowska will appear during the Emanations festival at theKrzysztof Penderecki European Centre for Music in Lusławice.
The award presentation and the gala concert took place at the Kijów Centrum in Cracow. As at the auditions, the contestants were accompanied by Dominik Wania Trio. The concert programme also featured such international jazz stars as pianist John Medeski and guitarist John Scofield. Precisely 40 years ago, the latter musician recorded with Zbigniew Seifert, the Competition’ patron, his last album in New York. The US jazzmen were accompanied by Konglomerat Big Band under Nikola Kołodziejczyk.
See also: