DIE GESCHICHTE DES WETTBEWERBES
Austria’s most important violin competition dates back to the prize that Fritz Kreisler privately donated every year, before 1938, for the best violin student at the Vienna Music Academy.
1979 saw the year that the competition became international, where violinists of all nationalities were able to compete on the centre stage. Yehudi Menuhin was on the jury at this time.
Since 1979, the International Fritz Kreisler Society typically organizes the International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition every four years at the Vienna Musikverein or the Vienna Konzerthaus.
Kurze Chronologie
1932-38
The ‘Fritz Kreisler Competition’, as it was originally known, was an internal violin competition organized every year by the Vienna Music Academy — today the University of Music and Performing Arts — for the violin students. The first prize, donated by Kreisler, was given to the best violin student of the year.
1956
Formative meeting between the young violin student from Salzburg, Michael Frischenschlager (19), with Fritz Kreisler (81) in New York.
1975
On the occasion of a commemorative concert organized by Prof. Frischenschlager at the Vienna Music University, the idea arises together with Prof. Wolfgang Schneiderhan and Prof. Franz Samohyl to establish an international Fritz Kreisler Competition in Vienna.
1979
I. Internationaler Fritz Kreisler Wettbewerb. Er findet erfolgreich vom 10. bis 19. September im Wiener Musikverein statt, mit Yehudi Menuhin als Jurymitglied, Prof. Wolfgang Schneiderhan als Präsident und Prof. Franz Samohyl als Vizepräsident.
1983
II. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. The competition takes place again in the Vienna Musikverein. Unfortunately, it ends with a large deficit of over 2 million Schillings. This means that — despite its successful debut — the Fritz Kreisler Competition had to wait until 1992 to mark its return.
1984-88
Irmgard Seefried and Wolfgang Schneiderhan convince the City of Vienna and the bank Creditanstalt Bankverein to pay off the debts. Prof. Schneiderhan asks Prof. Frischenschlager to become his successor and to rebuild the competition. He resigns as President and becomes an Honorary President.
1989-91
Frischenschlager prepares to resume the competition by looking for sponsors, PR, and organizing promotional concerts. A Kreisler concert in the Café Central in Vienna, broadcast on the ORF television, Kreisler concerts in New York (Carnegie Hall, Chamber Music Hall) and Washington (Georgetown University) are such examples. Dr. Helmut Zilk — The Mayor of Vienna — welcomes the return of the competition.
1992
III. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. This time in the Vienna Konzerthaus. Gala-Final in the Great Hall with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra. At the end, the prize winners perform on Kreisler’s famous Guarneri violin (brought to Vienna from the Library of Congress in Washington with sponsorship from the Austrian National Bank). The ORF television broadcasts the Gala-Final. The primary funders are the City of Vienna and several Federal Ministries. The competition becomes part of the musical life in Vienna and thus, every four years, Vienna becomes the goal for the world’s best young violinists.
1996
IV. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. Now again in the Musikverein. Very high international participation. The Gala-Final is partially broadcast by ORF television. The Vienna City Councillor, Dr. Ursula Pasterk, presents the Fritz Kreisler Prize to the first prize winner. Due to Vienna’s strong musical heritage, the name of Fritz Kreisler, the prestigious venues (Vienna Konzerthaus, Vienna Musikverein) and to the innovative programme and jury rules, the competition becomes one of the favourite, most-subscribed international violin competitions. Prestigious cooperation partners include: the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, the University of Music and Performing Arts, the Salzburg Festival, ORF, Naxos, Jeunesse-Musikalische Jugend.
2000
V. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. In the Vienna Konzerthaus. As always, the competition is highly successful with a large number of participants. The culture department of the City of Vienna can no longer finance the Gala-Final, instead the Gerber Foundation (Zurich) provide additional funding.
2005
VI. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. In the Vienna Konzerthaus. Again, a highly successful event. Due to the passing of Mrs. Gerber (President of the Gerber Foundation), the Swiss funding for the Gala-Final is no longer possible. Due to this large loss in income and many increased costs, there is once again a deficit.
2010
VII. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. In the Vienna Konzerthaus. The quality and success prove to be very high once again. Frischenschlager manages to increase the income from sponsors. But increased costs (Konzerthaus-halls rental, graphic design and printing costs and participants accommodation) once again unfortunately lead to a deficit.
2014
VIII. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. In the Vienna Konzerthaus. International participation remains high as well as the artistic level of the participants. A campaign subsidised by the Austrian Federal Ministry of Education enables many Viennese school pupils to attend the 19 concerts of the competition. Because of the continued diminishing income from sponsors, targeted savings are necessary through e.g., welcoming the participants into the homes of music-loving families of members of the Viennese Rotary Clubs.
2018
IX. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. Once again in the Vienna Musikverein. Preparation proceeded as usual but another dramatic decline of sponsorship and the unexpected loss of the traditional funding from the Viennese city government made cancellation seem inevitable. However when all hope seems lost, Klaus Heymann, President of NAXOS (Beijing) allows the competition to go ahead with his personal support. A main sponsor in China, KUKE MUSIC HOLDING Ltd, was also instrumental in the survival of the competition. Thus, the competition can take place successfully. The University of Music and Performing Arts held the first and second round for the first time and the semi-final, Final I and Gala-Final were also live streamed. The competition concludes without a deficit for the first time since 2000.
2022
The X. International Fritz Kreisler Violin Competition. A jubilee and an anniversary — the 60th year after Kreisler’s passing. This means a renewed commitment to organizing the competition at the highest level and to honor the memory of Fritz Kreisler. During the year of the competition, there will be additional events such as concerts, an exhibition and a documentary film about his life.
