Competition rules 2027

Violinists of all nationalities born between October 3, 1994, and September 20, 2009 (aged 18 to 32 by the end of the competition) are eligible to apply for the 2027 competition.
 
Previous first-prize winners of the Joseph Joachim Violin Competition are not eligible to apply. 

Application period: January 1 through March 31, 2027. All applications must be completed and submitted through the online system via www.muvac.com. 
 
All applications are due by 11:59 p.m. CET on Wednesday, March 31, 2027. No late applications will be accepted. 

Please read all rules and guidelines carefully before you apply. The complete application rules can be viewed here: Application rules 2027.

For questions about the application process or requirements, please contact us: mail@jjv-hannover.de 

A jury will select 26 participants for the 2027 Joseph Joachim Violin Competition on the basis of the videos they have submitted.

All participants will be notified by 31 May 2027. Those selected must then confirm their participation in the competition in writing.

26 Competitors | 8 Semifinalists | 3 Finalists

The competition consists of three stages spread over six rounds. 
All 26 participants will perform the program for the first preliminary round (violin and piano) and the second preliminary round (solo violin). Eight participants will advance to the semifinals.

In the first round of the semifinals, the eight semifinalists will perform the commissioned work by Sara Glojnarić for solo violin; in the second round, they will perform with selected chamber musicians; and in the third round, they will perform with piano, members of the Kuss Quartet, and additional musicians of their own choosing. After the semifinals, three contestants will advance to the finals.

Each finalist will perform a violin concerto with the NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Gérard Korsten.

All decisions regarding the advancement of competitors will be made by an international jury based on an evaluation system that is binding for all competition sessions. All jury decisions are final and cannot be appealed. 

All participants must register in person at the competition office at the University of Music, Drama, and Media Hannover (Neues Haus 1, 30157 Hannover) on September 17, 2027, starting at 10:00 a.m. Registration will take place in alphabetical order.

The order of performance will be determined by a random draw on September 17, 2027, during registration at the competition office. Each participant must be present in person and draw their own starting number.
The order determined by the draw will remain unchanged until the end of the competition. 
In cases of force majeure, it may be altered. The jury has the final say on this matter. Any change decided upon applies only to the round in question.

Here you can find the complete repertoire for the competition: Repertoire 2027

By July 1, 2027, the repertoire must be finalized and the recital program submitted. Please submit all changes in a single batch by July 1, 2027.

The commissioned piece will be sent digitally to all participants on July 1, 2027.

Practice rooms will be available at the University of Music, Drama, and Media Hannover (Neues Haus 1, 30157 Hanover, Germany) starting September 17, 2027.
 
Respected pianists will be available free of charge as accompanists for the competition. Participants may hire other pianists at their own expense.

For the string quartet piece, one rehearsal with members of the Kuss Quartet is scheduled, as well as a dress rehearsal. For the chamber music concerts and the concert with the NDR Radio Philharmonic, there will be two rehearsals.  
 
Here you will find detailed information about rehearsal times:

The competition awards various prizes: cash prizes, scholarships, concert engagements, and the loan of a violin by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini.
 
Monetary prizes are subject to taxation in accordance with the laws in force in the Republic of Germany. The organiser will deduct the relevant statutory charges from the prize amount where required by applicable law.

All participants are eligible for a travel expense allowance. Reimbursement will be provided upon presentation of travel documents in Hanover. The reimbursement amount is equal to the cost of the least expensive flight or train connection between the departure point and Hanover and back, as determined in Germany on June 15, 2027.
 
In accordance with our sustainability policy, we do not reimburse costs for flights within Germany, unless they are connecting flights.

All participants can stay with host families in Hannover free of charge from September 16 to October 3, 2027, subject to availability. Upon request, the organizing team can arrange hotel accommodations for participants and accompanying persons; however, participants are responsible for covering the costs themselves.

All participants agree to perform in the “Zu Gast in Niedersachsen” concert series on September 30, 2027, if invited, provided they have not been nominated for the finals.
 
Furthermore, they agree to give up to two concerts free of charge for the benefit of the Lower Saxony Foundation if asked to do so. In this case, travel and lodging expenses will be reimbursed by the Lower Saxony Foundation.

As the host of the competition, Stiftung Niedersachsen reserves the right to stream all competition performances free of charge. Additionally, the host reserves the right to produce video and audio recordings of these performances, which may be commercially used and broadcasted at any time and via all available national and international media channels. 

Participants agree that their photographs may be stored and shared with third parties, and that they may appear in current and/or future publications and on the websites of the Stiftung Niedersachsen and the WFIMC, both nationally and internationally.

By completing the registration form at www.muvac.com and thereby registering for the contest, applicants agree to these terms and conditions.

Please note that the German version of this text is legally binding. The place of jurisdiction is Hanover, Germany. 

Joseph Joachim Violin Competition
c/o Stiftung Niedersachsen
Sophienstraße 2
30159 Hannover
Germany
mail@jjv-hannover.de