File photo: The 2018 Schoenfeld International String Competition [Photo/Harbin News Network]
 
The 2023 Schoenfeld International String Competition finals are scheduled in Harbin, the capital city of China's northernmost Heilongjiang province, on Sept 5-17.
 
The competition has garnered a significant amount of interest, with nearly 300 contestants from over 30 countries having participated thus far. These contestants hail from more than 100 of the world's top music schools and universities and have successfully completed the preliminary rounds.
 
After a rigorous selection process, 32 violinists, 30 cellists, and eight internationally-renowned ensembles have emerged as finalists, set to compete for the ultimate prize at venues including the Harbin Conservatory of Music, Harbin Concert Hall, and Harbin Grand Theatre.
 
In addition to the thrilling live competitions, this year's opening concert will feature a collaboration between the competition judges and the Harbin Symphony Orchestra.
 
The 81-year-old cello jury president Arto Noras will showcase his talents alongside the Harbin Symphony Orchestra for the Harbin audience.
 
As the competition nears its conclusion, the jury president and jury members will host a masterclass lecture for young string musicians from all over China.
 
Moreover, the upcoming competition will host the Second International Summit Forum on String Music. Esteemed leaders in the field of string music, including Florian Leonhard (secretary-general of the World Federation of International Music Competitions), Tisa Ho (former director of the Hong Kong Arts Festival), and Rik Ghesquière (artistic manager of Vienna's Musikverein), will be in attendance. They will engage in a dialogue about how international music competitions can foster stronger connections between Chinese musicians and the rest of the world.
 
Schoenfeld International String Competition, comprising of violin, cello, and chamber, was founded by the 93-year-old internationally renowned violinist Alice Schoenfeld and organized by the Schoenfeld International String Society. Once it was initiated, the competition was strongly supported by world-renowned artists such as conductor Zubin Mehta, pianist Christoph Eschenbach, and professionals from all over the world.
 
The first competition was held In Hong Kong in 2013.
 
The competition is widely recognized as one of the most prestigious international music events worldwide, considered to be on par with other prestigious contests, such as the Tchaikovsky International Music Contest, the International Chopin Piano Competition, and Concorso internazionale di violino "Niccolò Paganini" – a violin competition named after the renowned Italian violinist Nicolo Paganini.
 
Harbin was chosen as the permanent host site of the Schoenfeld International String Competition. This was announced at a press conference for the 2018 Harbin Schoenfeld International String Competition held at the Harbin Conservatory of Music on June 5, 2018.