ARD Competition

The ARD International Music Competition (German: Internationaler Musikwettbewerb der ARD) is the largest international classical music competition in Germany. It is held once a year in Munich.

Since its inception in 1952, the ARD International Music Competition has become one of the most prestigious classical music competitions. It was started by the broadcasting corporations of what was once known as the Federal Republic of Germany. It is run under the backing of the Bayerischer Rundfunk and takes place usually in September. Winning a prize at this ARD International Music Competition has been an enormous aid for internationally famous artists such as Jessye Norman, Sharon Isbin, Francisco Araiza, Natalia Gutman, Christoph Eschenbach, Anna Malikova, Nobuko Imai, Mitsuko Uchida, Thomas Quasthoff, Yuri Bashmet, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Heinz Holliger, Isabelle Moretti, Peter Sadlo, and Maurice André, to name just a few.

The ARD International Music Competition has its roots in an earlier competition. Between 1947 and 1950 the Frankfurter Rundfunk assisted this "Young Soloists Competition". The earliest competition discovered two female vocalists who would soon take their place among the international talented: Christa Ludwig and Erika Köth. Instrumentalists included the flautist Karl-Heinz Zöller and the pianist Robert Alexander Bohnke. This newly founded ARD continued the concept of bringing together talented young musicians from the entire globe.

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