Fall will be a busy season for cellists and cello aficionados. Whether you need your cello fix as the intensity of a competition or the relaxation of enjoying a concert, we have you covered. Here’s a list of just some of your cello options for the next few months.
Cello competitions with deadlines scheduled in the next few months
If you wanted to participate in a cello competition this fall, you’ve likely missed your chance. Competition deadlines are set well in advance of the actual competition, so it takes some planning. Here are four upcoming cello competitions, organized by application due date.
- MTNA Junior Performance Competitions (deadline: September 12, 2018, at 3 pm EST): This competition is for young cellists. Competitors must be between 11 and 14 as of January 1, 2019. Multiple awards are handed out for each instrument and range from $100 to $1000 each. Early competition rounds are done via video. The finalists will compete in Spokane, Washington on March 16 -19, 2019.
- Classic Pure Vienna International Music Competition (deadline: September 17, 2018): This competition covers a range of instruments and pays out a total of €45,000 in prize money. You need a short video audition with your application and has competition categories for all ages, including under ten years old. If you're selected, be prepared to perform in front of a live jury in Vienna, Austria on November 15, 2018.
- International Anton Rubinstein Competition (deadline: October 15, 2018): This is open to all chamber music instruments. It also requires a video file upload as an audition. The competition itself is run in two rounds, with the finalists putting on a public performance. The rules do allow competitors to perform the same piece in both rounds of live competition. The competition is held in Dusseldorf, Germany on November 24 – 25, 2018. If you want to plan ahead, the organization is holding a cello-only competition in March 2020.
- North International Music Competition (deadline: November 11, 2018): The organization is in Sweden, but the competition is held entirely online. That means expenses to participate in this international competition is low. It also means that you’ll be performing for a global audience, which amps up the intensity. The judges of the competition are qualified musical professionals. There are no age restrictions.
Cello concerts worth taking a vacation to attend
If you live in a city or town with a chamber society or full orchestra, you can probably find some lovely cello performances. Supporting your local classical music scene is an admirable undertaking. If you live in the town where any of these cellists or ensembles are performing this fall – lucky you. If not, they're worth planning a vacation around.
- The cellist event of the year is clearly Yo-yo Ma’s Bach Cello Suites tour. He returns to the United States with a September 30, 2018 performance in Berkeley, California. He stays in North America for the rest of the year with concerts in Washington D.C. on November 29 and Montreal, Canada on December 7, 2018.
- If you’re a 2Cellos fan – they’re spending November and early December 2018 in Australia and New Zealand. A total of seven concerts held all over both countries.
- Anyone thinking about traveling to South America this November will have multiple opportunities to see Mischa Maisky. Here’s his full concert schedule for the fall.
- If you haven’t heard of The Portland Cello Project, it’s time to check out this traveling, cello-only ensemble. They’re spending the first half of October in the mountain states and then heading to the northeast for the second half of the month. Here’s their schedule for the rest of the year. They're busy, so the chances are good you can catch them using just a couple of vacation days. They cover everything from Kanye West to Saint-Saens.
Fall can get busy with returning to school. Even so, you should never be too busy to ensconce yourself in a little cello music. Which cellist would you travel the world to see? Let us know what dream cello performance you’d take time off to attend in the comments below.
Share this article
