The Zhuhai International Mozart Competition for Young Musicians will have 117 pianists and violinists from 16 countries and regions vie for honors at the Zhuhai Huafa & CPAA Grand Theatre from Sept 10 to 22.

The qualifiers passed a preliminary selection at Mozarteum University Salzburg from May 9 to 11. A seven-member jury panel chaired by the artistic director of the violin category -- Paul Roczek and his piano counterpart Klaus Kaufmann --oversaw the process.

Preliminary selection in the violin category

According to Roczek, Group C (contestants aged 17 to 23) shows great competitiveness, reflected not only in the number of applicants but also in their internationalized and high-level performances. The strength of Group B (ages 13 to 16), however, is not to be underestimated, and the Chinese applicants are especially strong, he said.

Meanwhile, the performance videos indicate that Group A (up to 12 years old) players may be less capable than those of last year, but there is room for exceptions and surprises, added Roczek.

Kaufmann says the introduction of Chinese works into the prescribed repertoire this year will bring great challenges to all contestants.

Preliminary selection in the piano category [Photos courtesy WeChat account: zhmozart]

The top four in Group A will be awarded from $1,000 to $7,500, in Group B from $5,000 to $15,000, and in Group C from $7,500 to $30,000. Prestigious violins and performance opportunities are available for winners.

Concurrently, a series of activities will be held in the city, with musicians, music critics, and chamber orchestras invited to offer music lovers close contact with the classics.   

The biennial competition is currently in its 3rd edition. It is the only multidisciplinary youth classical music event in the world to be named after Mozart, and the second Chinese music event both endorsed by the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC) and the Alink-Argerich Foundation (AAF).