2026 GUIDE TO TOP COMPETITIONS
| ◀◀ competitions home page |
|
|
Lillian and Maurice Barbash J.S. Bach Competition
|
|
ABOUT THIS COMPETITION
Entrants will submit a videotaped performance of contrasting movements of a J.S. Bach work written for unaccompanied string instrument (sonatas, partitas, or suites). Finalists will play complete work at the finals on October 15, 2026. Grand prize is $10,000 and five performing engagements; second place is $2,500.
MAIN OFFICE
PO Box 699
Babylon, NY 11702 UNITED STATES
516-639-8575
WEBSITE
ELIGIBILITY
Entrants must be between the age of 16 and 30 on the date of the finals, October 15, 2026. The competition is open to U.S. and non-U.S. citizens. Entrants may play on either baroque or modern bowed instruments. Non-U.S. citizens must have visas by June 14, 2026.
ARTISTIC DISCIPLINE(S)
Strings
|
DETAILS |
|
| Travel Covered? | No |
| Frequency | Annual |
| First prize | $10,000 to $50,000 |
| Smallest prize | Less than $5,000 |
| Additional prizes | Performances |
| Jury chair(s) | Not provided |
| Additional jurors | Julie Andrijeski, violin, head of Historical Performance, Case Western Reserve, Director of Baroque Ensembles, Cleveland Institute of Music Hye-Jin Kim, violin, East Carolina University, Taos School of Music, member of Cooperstown Quartet Nicholas Cords, viola, New England Conservatory of Music, founding member of Brooklyn Rider Colin Carr, cello, Professor of Music, Cello and Chamber Music, Stony Brook University Arthur Haas, Professor of Harpsichord, Early Music Performance and Continuo. Stony Brook University |
| Jury size | 1 to 5 |
| Application fee | $50 |
| Application deadline | June 14, 2026 |
| Application notes | The application for the 2026 Competition will be available on the Competition website on March 1, 2026. |
FINALS (live rounds)
October 17, 2026, 1 pm—Staller Center Recital Hall, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY |
|
COMPETITION OPEN TO THE PUBLIC?
| ✖ | Semifinals | ✖ | Semifinals streamed |
| ✔ | Finals | ✔ | Finals streamed |
PAST COMPETITION WINNERS
2025 Danqi Zeng, baroque violin
2024 No first prize awarded
2023 Emmanuel Coppey, violin
2022 Nina Bernat, double bass, winner of Avery Fisher Career Grant
2021 Lun Li and Tianyou Ma, violin, joint first prize
2020 Maxime Quennesson, cello
2019 Rachell Ellen Wong, violin, winner of Avery Fisher Career Grant
2024 No first prize awarded
2023 Emmanuel Coppey, violin
2022 Nina Bernat, double bass, winner of Avery Fisher Career Grant
2021 Lun Li and Tianyou Ma, violin, joint first prize
2020 Maxime Quennesson, cello
2019 Rachell Ellen Wong, violin, winner of Avery Fisher Career Grant
SOCIAL LINKS
| ◀◀ competitions home page |
RENT A PHOTO
