Bartók World Competition – Composition 2026 / Award Ceremony and Gala Concert Presented by Liszt Academy

The Liszt Academy established the Bartók World Competition in 2017 with the aim of creating a platform that, beyond requiring the highest level of musical preparation, introduces an innovative structure to traditional musical competitions. Instrumental competitions are held biennially, while the intervening years focus on a composition contest that always corresponds to the upcoming instrumental category.

The 2026 round of the Bartók World Competition thus shines a spotlight on the composers of the future. For this edition, creators under the age of 40 were invited to submit original works for string quartet, lasting 6–8 minutes. These entries were first vetted by a preliminary jury of distinguished Liszt Academy professors, with the final 15 scores being judged by a prestigious international panel. The jury is chaired by the world-renowned Swedish composer Anders Hillborg, joined by such luminaries as Natalie Nicolas, Matthew Aucoin, Ye Xiaogang, and Gyula Fekete.

Two of the prize-winning works will be included in the mandatory repertoire for the 2027 String Quartet Competition and will be published by Universal Music Publishing Editio Musica Budapest. At the Gala Concert, the winning compositions will be performed alongside a work by the jury president, brought to life by outstanding Hungarian string quartets.