An emblematic competition steeped in history
Bordeaux has become the city of the string quartet!
Every three years since 1999, Bordeaux has hosted one of the most prestigious and demanding international string quartet competitions. An ideal springboard for young string quartet musicians, the competition is a link between young virtuosos and the world’s leading music scenes.
Inherited from the Evian competition, it has revealed a number of ensembles on the cusp of brilliant careers. The Prazák (1978), Hagen (1983), Ysaÿe (1988), Belcea (1999), Ébène (2003), Schumann (2013) and Leonkoro (2022) quartets have all won prizes.
In 2022, the tenth edition of the Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition took place, the first under the direction of the Modigliani Quartet and Julien Kieffer, and was unanimously hailed as a great vintage. A top-notch jury and a large audience crowned the Leonkoro Quartet (Germany) the overall winner.
2025: the next Bordeaux International String Quartet Competition
In close partnership with the Opéra National de Bordeaux, the Vibre! team is preparing the next edition of the International String Quartet Competition, to be held from May 19 to 25, 2025.
Under the artistic direction of the Quatuor Modigliani, ten of the most talented young quartets will be invited to defend their passion for chamber music. A rare opportunity for the public to discover tomorrow’s greats and experience the adrenalin of a competition.
Around the competition, the Festival will continue to innovate, offering concerts with some of the greatest quartets, encounters and outreach activities to bring the extraordinary musical repertoire of the string quartet closer to as many people as possible.
Co-production Opéra National de Bordeaux and Quatuors à Bordeaux.
