George Enescu International Competition

23 Aug - 19 Sep, 2026

The 20th edition of the George Enescu International Competition takes place from 23 August to 19 September 2026 in Bucharest, Romania, welcoming young talents in Violin, Cello, Piano, and Composition. Founded in 1958 to honor George Enescu’s legacy, the Competition is a leading platform for emerging musicians and is held biennially, alternating with the George Enescu International Festival. First-prize winners are invited to perform at the following Festival edition. Under the artistic direction of Cristian Măcelaru, the 2026 theme is In Pursuit of Excellence. This edition also introduces a Composition Masterclass and continues the Conducting, Instrumental Performance, and Advanced Music Study Masterclasses launched in 2024. Rounds take place at the National University of Music, with semi-finals and finals at the Romanian Athenaeum, offering audiences the chance to witness future stars on one of Europe’s great stages.

Closing date: 10 May 2026

Read advisory note

This competition appears to include an online round that charges over €35. musicalchairs is concerned that the fee for online judging must be commensurate with the value offered to applicants whether they are successful or unsuccessful. Please therefore study the guidelines for this competition carefully:

Is the Jury for the online round published and are they widely respected musicians?
Does each Jury member listen to the submissions in full?
Do applicants receive detailed and considered feedback about their complete performance/score from the Jury?

More details:

Visit website

Email competition

Your name:

Your country:

Your email address:

Confirm your email address:

Your phone: (Optional)

Your message:

Whilst musicalchairs makes every effort to ensure that the information listed IS accurate, fair AND genuine, we cannot take responsibility if it transpires that an advert has misled.