Regional Show: David Popper International Cello Competition

The David Popper International Cello Competition will be held in Várpalota for the tenth time. The first competition took place in 2000. The idea of the competition was born because there was no international cello competition for young people in Hungary. It is important for the youngsters preparing for a career in music to know where cellists of their age are in their skills, to compare schools in different countries, which helps their training. Preparing for and competing in the competition is a great challenge and this experience helps to prepare them for a career as a performer.

The event contributes to the quality development of cultural programmes, with the participation of several cellists of different nationalities. It will foster community and networking.

The performers' styles, musical tastes, and the national musical education behind them will provide an important exchange of experiences. Our aim is to share and internationalise the experience of Hungarian music education.

The gala concert focuses to provide a platform for young talents and to strengthen ties between young people from different nations. The best of the competition will be heard by the audience of Várpalota, the country and the world. In addition to the youngsters, the goal is to facilitate the meeting and exchange of views between teachers, foundation directors and public figures, to get to know each other's cultures better and to promote the cultural life of Hungary and the region.

2023 will be the tenth anniversary of the David Popper International Cello Competition. The competition has been running for more than 20 years and this special occasion gives us an opportunity to look back. The competition is proof that we need to learn from each other, wherever we are in the world, because that is the only way to develop our knowledge, rich and complete. The programme will be different from previous years. We have tried to arrange the timetable in such a way as to give the competitors more time and opportunity to consult the seven-member international jury, to ask for guidance and opinions. Another important change is that we have chosen works by Hungarian composers as the compulsory pieces for age groups IV-V. In addition to works by Zoltán Kodály and Sándor Szokolay, the contestants will have to play works by contemporary composers Péter Tóth and János Vajda. Our aim is to make these pieces known played, and loved by as many people as possible, so that they can get to know the Hungarian composers of the 20th and 21st centuries and our culture better.

An important role of this event is to promote the transmission of high-quality classical music of high cultural value by young talents, which is also an important element of VEB 2023 ECoC.

The opening concert of the 10th International David Popper Cello Competition will take place on 9 October 2023 at 18.00 in the hall of the Thury Castle. The participants of the competition days will be on display from 10 to 14 October 2023 in the Thury Hall of Thury Castle, the exact schedule will be published on www.thuryvar.hu, on the Facebook page of Thury Castle and on the website (http://popper-cello-competition.com) and the Facebook page of the International Cello Competition. The event is free of charge.