Prizewinners and Jury of the previous competitions

" 1st Rostropovich cello competition - 1977

Jury
Chairman: Mstislav Rostropovich
Luciano Berio (Italy), Henri Dutilleux (France), Raya Garbousova (USSR), Witold Lutoslawski (Poland), Pierre Penassou (France), Iannis Xenakis (France)

Awards
1st Grand Prize ex-aequo : Luis Claret (Spain) and Frédéric Lodéon (France)
3rd Prize : Yvan Chiffoleau (France)
4th Prize : Pierre Strauch (France)
Prize for the best performance of Kottos by Iannis Xenakis (work for cello solo commissioned for the competition) : Lluis Claret (Spain)
Prize for the best performance of Debussy's Sonata: Mirel Iancovici (Roumania)
Honorific diploma: Ulrich Heinen (Germany), Yves Potrel (France), Mirel Iancovici (Roumania)

" 2nd Rostropovich cello competition - 1981

Jury
Chairman: Mstislav Rostropovich
Henri Dutilleux (France), Pierre Fournier (France), Raya Garbousova (USSR), Antonio Janigro (Italie), Witold Lutoslawski (Poland), André Navarra (France), Leonard Rose (United States), Etienne Vatelot (France)

Awards
1st Grand Prize: Maria Kliegel (Germany)
2nd Grand Prize: Yvan Chiffoleau (France)
3rd Prize: Carter Brey (United States)
4th Prize: Young Chang Cho (United States)
Prize for the best performance of Quasi scherzando by Gilbert Amy (work for cello solo commissioned for the competition): Mischa Maisky (Israel)
Prize for a remarkable participant: Rio Toyodo (Japan)
Mentions : Daniel Raclot (France), Dominique de Williencourt (France)

" 3rd Rostropovich cello competition - 1986

Jury
Chairman: Mstislav Rostropovich
Reine Flachot (France), Raya Garbousova (USSR), Cristobal Halffter (Spain), Ludwig Hoelscher (Germany), Alain Meunier (France), André Navarra (France), Aldo Parisot (United States), William Pleeth (United Kingdom), Etienne Vatelot (France)

Awards
Grand Prize of the City of Paris: Gary Hoffman (United States)
2nd Grand Prize : Gustav Rivinius (Germany)
3rd Prize: Chistoph Richter (Germany)
Prize for the best performance of Per Slava by Krzysztof Penderecki (work for cello solo commissioned for the competition): Chistoph Richter (Germany)
Prize Rozan for the best performance of Debussy's Sonata: Ksenija Jankovitch (Yougoslavia)
Prize Jeanne Marx : Jean-Guihen Queyras (France)
Mentions: Sonia Wieder-Atherton (France), Alexander Baillie (United Kingdom), David Hardy (United States), Ksenija Jankovitch (Yougoslavia)

" 4th Rostropovich cello competition - 1990

Jury
Chairman: Mstislav Rostropovich
Rodion Chedrine (USSR), Lluis Claret (Spain), Natalia Gutman (USSR), Frans Helmerson (Sweden), Frédéric Lodéon (France), Arto Noras (Finland), Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi (Japan), Etienne Vatelot (France), Raphael Wallfisch (United Kingdom), Uzi Wiesel (Israel)

Awards
Grand Prize of the City of Paris: Wendy Warner (United States)
2nd Grand Prize: Colin Carr (United Kingdom)
3rd Prize ex-aequo: Anne Gastinel (France) and Xavier Phillips (France)
Special Prize for the best performance of Bribes russes by Rodion Chedrine (work for cello solo commissioned for the competition) : Xavier Philips (France)
Prize for the most promising performer, Pierre Fournier Prize: Quirine Viersen (Netherlands)
Prize for the most promising performer, Prize Antoine and Michel Riboud foundation: Georguï Goriounov (USSR)

Contemporary Prize for the best performance of Sacher Variations pour violoncelle seul by Witold Lutoslawski : Marius May (United Kingdom)
Prize for the best performance of Quatuor pour la fin des temps (louange à l'Eternité de Jésus) by Olivier Messiaen: Jean-Guihen Queyras (France)
Prize for the best performance of Trois Strophes sur le nom de SACHER by Henri Dutilleux: Hillel Zori (Israel)
Mentions : Alban Gerhart (Germany), Yoko Hasegawa (Japon)

" 5th Rostropovich cello competition - 1994

Jury
Chairman: Mstislav Rostropovich
Young-Chang Cho (Korea), Henri Dutilleux (France), David Geringas (Germany), Natalia Gutman (Russia), Frans Helmerson (Sweden), Alain Meunier (France), Philippe Muller (France), Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi (Japan), Etienne Vatelot (France), Uzi Wiesel (Israel)

Awards
Grand Prize of the City of Paris: Han-Na Chang (Korea)
2nd Grand Prize: Wolfgang Schmidt (Germany)
3rd Prize: Jérôme Pernoo (France)
4th Prize: Claudio Bohorquez (Germany)
5th Prize: Stanimir Todorov (Bulgaria)
6th Prize:Matthieu Rogué (France)
Prize for the best performance of Improvisation pour violoncelle seul by Alfred Schnittke (work for cello solo commissioned for the competition): Stanimir Todorov (Bulgaria)
Prize for the most promising performer: Gabriel Lipkind (Israel)
Contemporary Prize: Han-Na Chang (Corea), Henri Demarquette (France), Wolfgang Schmidt (Germany)
Irina Prize, awarded to a Russian candidate of quality: Vladimir Balchine (Russia)
Prize for the best chamber music performer: Shana Downes (United States)
Loan of a 1987 Paul Blanchard cello by the Fond Instrumental Français: Emmanuelle Bertrand (France)

" 6th Rostropovich cello competition - 1997

Jury
Chairman: Mstislav Rostropovich
Young-Chang Cho (Korea), Walter Grimmer (Switzerland), Natalia Chakovskaïa (Russia), David Geringas (Germany), Frans Helmerson (Sweden), Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi (Japan), Etienne Vatelot (France), Uzi Wiesel (Israel)

Nationality of the candidates in competition: 139 candidates for 34 countries
Australia (3), Austria (3), Belgium (1), Belarus (1), Brazil (1), Bulgaria (3), Canada (1), Chile (1), China (1), Korea (9), Croatia (1), Denmark (3), Egypt (2), Finland (5), France (25), Germany (9), Hungary (4), Israel (4), Italy (9), Japan (6), Latvia (1), Mexico (1), New Zealand (1), Netherlands (2), Poland (2), Russia (15), Serbia (1), Slovenia (1), Spain (1), Sweden (1), Switzerland (2), Taiwan (1), United Kingdom (8), United States (10).

Awards
Grand Prize of the City of Paris : Enrico Dindo (Italy)
2nd Grand Prize : Hai-Ye Ni (China)
3rd Prize : Monika Leskovar (Croatia)
4th Prize : Oren Shevlin (United Kingdom)
5th Prize: Sol Gabetta Timacheff (France)
6th Prize: Boris Andrianov (Russia)
Prize for the best performance of Spins and Spells by Kaija Saariaho (work for cello solo commissioned for the competition): Gabriele Geminiani (Italy)
Pierre Fournier Prize for the best performance of Debussy's Sonata: François Salque (France)
Prize for the most promising performer: Kaori Joan Yamagami (Canada)
Contemporary Music Prizes: Georguï Goriunov (Russia), Monika Leskovar (Croatia), Tatjana Vassiljeva (Russia)
Irina Prize, awarded to a Russian candidate of quality : Alexandre Neoustroev (Russia)
Best performer of chamber music: László Fenyo (Hungary)
Fonds Instrumental Français Prize, loan of a Bernardel Père cello: Sarah Iancu (France)
Mentions:
Renaud Déjardin (France), Anton Istomin (Russia), Dmitrij Maslennikov (Russia), Hassan Motaz El Molla (Egypt), Liwei Qin (Australia), Sophie Shao (United States)

" 7th Rostropovich cello competition - 2001

photo ©Dominique Allié

Jury
Chairman: Mstislav Rostropovich
Natalia Chakovskaïa (Russia), Young-Chang Cho (Korea), David Geringas (Germany), Frans Helmerson (Sweden), Philippe Muller (France), Arto Noras (Finland), Marco Stroppa (Italy) Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi (Japan), Etienne Vatelot (France), Uzi Wiesel (Israel)

Nationality of the candidates in competition: 107 candidates for 28 countries
Armenia (1), Australia (2), Austria (1), Bulgaria (3), Canada (3), Chile (3), China (1), Korea (11), Egypt (1), Finland (3), France (15), Germany (4), Israel (4), Italy (4), Japan (4), Latvia (1), Lithuania (1), Mexico (1), Uzbekistan ( 1), Poland (5), Romania (1), Russia (15), Sweden (1), Switzerland (1), Taiwan (1), Ukraine (2), United Kingdom (5), United States (12).

Awards
Grand Prize of the City of Paris : Tatjana VASSILJEVA (Russia)

2nd Grand Prize : Oren SHEVLIN (United Kingdom)

3rd Prize : Sophie SHAO (United States)

4th Prize : Mark KOSOWER (United States)

5th Prize : Enrico BRONZI (Italy)

6th Prize : Romain GARIOUD (France)

Prize for the best performance of Ay, There's the rub by Marco Stroppa (work for cello solo commissioned for the competition) : Mark KOSOWER (United Kingdom)

Pierre Fournier Prize for the best performance of Debussy's Sonata : Sophie SHAO (United States) and Melvin CHEN, piano

Prize for the most promising performer : Sébastien VAN KUIJK (France)

Irina Prize, awarded to a Russian candidate of quality : Emil ROVNER (Russia)

MENTIONS
Aleksander CHAUSHYAN (Armenia)
Soo-Kyung HONG (Korea)
Adam MITAL (Switzerland)
Jing ZHAO (China)

Biographies 2001

Tatjana Vassiljeva was born in Novosibirsk in 1977. At the age of six she began studying the cello with Eugenij Nilov at the local conservatory. From 1989 till 1995 she studied with Maria Jurawlijova at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, from 1995 till 1998 with Walter Nothas at the Music College, Munich, where she graduated with distinction. Since 1998 she has been a pupil of David Geringas' in his master class at the Hanns Eilser Music College, Berlin.
Tatjana Vassilieva has received scholarships and awards at numerous international competitions. In 1994, at the age of 17, she was awarded the second prize at the ARD Competition in Munich as well as the Bunkamura Orchard Hall Award, that included a concert tour in Japan. In 1999 she won the first prize at the 3rd Adam International Cello Competition in New Zealand. In 2000 she was awarded the second prize at the International Pablo Casals Cello Competition in Kronberg and the first prize at the Izuminomori Cello in Japan.
Since the age of 12, Tatjana Vassiljeva has given successful recitals and concerts in Russia, Europe and Japan. As a chamber musician she performed at major international festival with Tatjana Geringas, Cyprian Katsaris, Yuri Bashmet or Eugen Istomin to name but a few.
The cellist commands an extensive repertoire ranging from Bach to contemporary music, and she has performed several premiers.

Oren Shevlin was born in 1969 in Oldham, England He began cello lessons from age 6.
Student of Raphael Sommer, Boris Pergamenschikow and Frans Helmerson.
Studied at Chethams School of Music and the Royal Northern College of Music in Manchester. Completed studies at the Guildhall School of Music, London, and at the Hochschule für Musik, Cologne, both times with the Highest honours. Participated in Masterclasses of Paul Tortelier, Janos Starker and Arto Noras.
1979 appeared at the Royal Albert Hall, London
Winner of Madame Suggia International Award
1987 Participated in BBC TV Tortelier Masterclass
1992 3rd Prize, A.R.D. International Competition, Munich
1993 Concerto début at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival
1994 Finalist at Tchaikovsky Competition,Moscow
Awarded the Landgraf of Hessen Prize
1995 Invited to play at the Kronberg International ´Cello Festival
1996 2nd Prize, International Paulo ´Cello Competition in Helsinki
1997 4th Prize, Rostropovich Cello Competiton, Paris.
1998 Debut recital in London, Wallace Collection
As well as giving numerous Solo performances with the WDR Symphony Orchestra, Cologne (of which he has been principal ´cellist since 1998) he has performed as a soloist with orchestras including the Finnish Radio Symphony, Moscow New Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic, Cologne Chamber Orchestra, Deutsche Kammerakademie, Polish Chamber Orchestra and the Orchestre National de France. He has recorded works of Joseph Haydn for Naxos and recently appeared several times at the Wigmore Hall in London.
He has collaberated as a soloist with numerous conductors including Sir André Previn, Mikhail Jurowskij, and most recently with Christoph Eschenbach and the Orchestre de Paris during the finals of the 2001 Rostropovich ´Cello Competition where he was awarded the 2nd Grand Prix.

A native of New York City, cellist Sophie Shao received the 1996 Avery Fisher Career Grant at the age of 19, and has established herself as a prominent soloist, recitalist, and chamber musician. Ms. Shao has won prizes in numerous competitions, including a top prize in the Ima Hogg Young Artists' Competition and honorable mention in the 1997 Rostropovich Competition. She made her official orchestral debut with the Houston Symphony at age eleven, and has since made several more appearances with the orchestra. She has performed throughout the United States, Canada, Japan, and France, at such venues as the 92nd Street Y, Carnegie, Avery Fisher, Alice Tully, and Merkin Halls in New York, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Heinz Hall in Pittsburgh, Ford Centre in Toronto, and Rice University in Houston. The festivals at which Ms. Shao has appeared include Marlboro, Caramoor, Evian, Banff, and Ravinia. In 1995, Ms. Shao recorded a work by Andre Previn with the Curtis Orchestra for EMI Classics.
Sophie Shao has performed in masterclasses for Mstislav Rostropovich and Yo Yo Ma. She has collaborated with members of the Beaux Arts Trio, the Guarneri, Juilliard, Orion , Cleveland String Quartets, and has performed with such distinguished artists as Gary Graffman, David Shifrin, Jaime Laredo, Midori, Andre Previn, Eugene Istomin, Cho-Liang Lin, Paquito D'Rivera, Andras Schiff, Claude Frank, and Christoph Eschenbach. In the 1998/1999 and 1999/2000 seasons, Sophie Shao was a member of Chamber Music Society Two, the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center's program for emerging young artists.
Sophie Shao began studying piano at the age of five with her mother, a well-known keyboard pedagogue in Taiwan. At the age of six, she began playing the cello, and later became a pupil of Shirley Trepel, former principal cellist of the Houston Symphony. At thirteen, she enrolled at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where she continued studying cello with David Soyer and chamber music with Felix Galimir. After graduating from the Curtis Institute, Sophie continued her cello studies with Aldo Parisot at Yale University. In May of 2000, Sophie received her B.A. in religious studies from Yale College, where she was also awarded the Louis Sudler Prize for the Creative and Performing Arts. In May of 2001, Sophie received her M.M. from the Yale School of Music, where she was enrolled as a Paul and Daisy Soros

Mark Kosower is quickly becoming one of the most accomplished and notable young cellists in the United States. He recently gave debut recitals at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington DC and at the Frick Collection in New York. Among his engagements for the 2001-02 season Kosower will appear in recital on the Great Performers Series at Lincoln Center and will be guest soloist with the Oregon Symphony and the Florida Philharmonic.
Mark Kosower has given hundreds of concerts throughout the United States including chamber music concerts, solo recitals, and solo appearances with orchestra. He recently soloed with the Detroit Symphony, the Houston Symphony, the Indianapolis Symphony, the Milwaukee Symphony, the Minnesota Orchestra, and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra and gave recitals in Chicago, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, New York, San Francisco, St. Paul, Washington DC, at the Aspen Music Festival, and on Ravinia's "Rising Stars Series". Mark Kosower has performed in Europe and Mexico as well including recent performances at the Kronberg Cello Festival and at the Alte Oper in Frankfurt, Germany. Many of his performances have been broadcast over Public Radio and National Public Radio. An active chamber musician, Mark Kosower recently became a Chamber Music Society Two member at the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center.
Mark Kosower has won many awards including Grand Prize in the Seventh Irving Klein International String Competition where he became the first winner in the competition's history to gain a unanimous vote by the nine judges. In 1994 Kosower won the prestigious WAMSO Young Artist Competition where he was again the unanimous winner of the Grand Prize. Mr. Kosower was only the third person to have been chosen for this award by the Music Director of the Minnesota Orchestra in 38 years. Most recently, Mark Kosower won the 2000 Juilliard Cello Concerto Competition.
Mark Kosower holds a Bachelor's Degree and an Artist Diploma in Cello Performance from Indiana University where he was a four-year scholarship student of Janos Starker. He is currently pursuing a Masters Degree at the Juilliard School where he studies with Joel Krosnick.

Born in Parma, Italy, in 1973, Enrico Bronzi began his cello studies with Enrico Contini, graduating with top marks and honor mention at Parma Conservatory. He had masterclasses with Amedeo Baldovino,Antonio Janigro,Mario Brunello,Janos Starker,Antonio Meneses and David Geringas. In 1990 he founded, with Alberto Miodini and Ivan Rabaglia, the Trio di Parma, gaining his most prestigious awards at International Competitions in Florence (Vittorio Gui), Melbourne, and Munich (ARD). Moreover, National Critics Association esteemed Trio di Parma as the best chamber music ensemble in 1994, assigning the Premio Abbiati. Trio Di Parma has been invited by the most prominent musical associations in Italy and abroad (Accademia di S.Cecilia in Rome, Società del Quartetto di Milano, Amici della Musica di Firenze, Unione Musicale di Torino, Gran Teatro La Fenice di Venezia, Berliner Philarmoniker, Wigmore Hall in Lonon, Wien Konzerthaus, Hamburg Musikhalle, New York Lincoln Center, Teatro Coliseo at Buenos Aires...), performing even in Dublin, Dresden, Warsaw, Saint Petersburg, Washington, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Santiago del Chile, Adelaide... As a soloist, Enrico Bronzi has appeared with many notable orchestras and he collaborated with prominent artists as Maureen Jones, Andrea Lucchesini,Massimo Quarta, Bruno Giuranna, Domenico Nordio. Enrico Bronzi is also engaged as far as teaching, precisely at "Scuola Superiore Internazionale di Musica da Camera di Duino" and at "Accademia Musicale del Teatro Cinghio di Parma".

Tatjana Vassiljeva

Tatjana web site

Mark Kosower

Sophie Shao

Romain Garioud

Romain web site