Participants compete in the horn and tuba from 6 May onwards

(cs) A total of 90 participants will take part in this year's 57th International Instrumental Competition Markneukirchen in the subjects horn and tuba. Of the 176 admitted applicants, 40 participants for the horn and 50 participants for the tuba competition arrived yesterday. With the rehearsals taking place today, the preparations are now reaching their climax and conclusion.

From 6 May, the 90 participants between 16 and 32 years of age will compete in three selection tests and a final round with orchestra. The young musicians come from 29 different countries from 5 continents. Among them, participants from Japan (22) are particularly well represented, followed by Germany (14) and China (7). They will now present themselves to the two international juries in the first selection examination with a twenty-minute programme. In the horn section, all participants will perform the commissioned work of the competition "HO(ye)RN" by Roland Szentapli (himself a prize-winner of the IIW 2004) and can choose from a selection of works by Eugene Bozza, Jaroslav Kofron and Henri Busser. In the tuba section, the programme includes a concerto by George Frideric Handel as well as optional pieces by John Stevens, Mauricio Kagel and Ben Miles.

The competition will take place in the Musikhalle Markneukirchen for horn and in the Königliches Kurhaus in Bad Elster for tuba. The competition starts at 9.00 a.m. on Friday. Visitors are welcome to attend the auditions. The International Instrumental Competition Markneukirchen will continue until 14 May.