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I. General Information

 

1. The Kosciuszko Foundation Wieniawski Violin Competition was established in 1969 to help young violinists develop concert careers and to encourage them to study the repertoire of Polish composers as well as to honor Poland’s legendary violinist and composer Henryk Wieniawski (1835-1880).

 

2. The Competition will be held on the weekend of November 7-8, 2026, at the Kosciuszko Foundation's headquarters at 15 E 65th Street, New York, NY 10065

 

3. The Jury of the Competition will include outstanding Polish and foreign musicians.

 

4. The Competition comprises four parts: Pre-selection, based on the submitted application form and audio or video recording, and three stages (First Round, Second Round, and Final Round).

 

5. Candidates entering the Competition must submit the application form along with the required documents and audio or video recording by June 1, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET. 

 

6. Competition Schedule:

 

Competition application deadline: June 1, 2026

Competition acceptance notification: by July 1, 2026

First Stage: Saturday, November 7, 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. 

Second Stage: Sunday, November 8, 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. 

Final Stage: Sunday, November 8, 5:00 p.m. 

 

The Jury verdict and award presentation will follow the Final Stage. 

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II. Eligibility:

 

The Competition is open to musicians striving to establish distinguished professional careers who are: 

• Between 16 to 30 years of age as of November 7, 2026. (Eligible applicants must have been born between November 8, 1995, and November 7, 2010, inclusive), and 

• Those who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States, as well as individuals who are legally present in the United States under valid student or work visas.

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III. Application Requirements:

 

1. The Competition application shall include the following items:

• A completed application form

• One current professional-quality headshot (resolution 300 dpi)

• A photocopy of an official document indicating the date of birth

• Repertoire list

• A YouTube video recording

• A $60 non-refundable application fee

 

2. The application form and the repertoire form are available on the Competition website: www.KFWieniawski.org. They must be completed and submitted, along with the other specified items, by June 1, 2026, 11:59 p.m. ET. Receipts of applications will be automatically generated by the system.

 

3. Late submissions or incomplete applications will not be considered.

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IV. Competition Schedule and Procedures

 

A. Pre-Selection Round: Application deadline: June 1, 2026

 

1. An up to 10-minute-long, high-quality video or audio recording containing

• Paganini Caprice or equivalent,  and 

• Bach's movement for violin solo

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The video or audio must be recorded in a single take and not edited under any circumstances. High-quality, home-made recordings are acceptable. The video must be labeled with the contestant's name, and the repertoire should be detailed in the video description.

 

2. A maximum of 20 candidates will be admitted and invited to participate in the First Stage of the Competition. All candidates will be notified by electronic mail by July 1, 2026.

 

B. First Round - Saturday, November 7

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Required repertoire: 

• A Caprice by Wieniawski (op. 10 or 18), (max. 5 minutes);

• A violin solo piece of the candidate's choice from XX or XXI century (suggested but not limited to Polish composers: Bacewicz, etc.), (max. 5 minutes).

 

Ten (10) contestants will be admitted to the Second Round. Results of the First Round will be announced on the Competition website, and Contestants will be notified by electronic mail.

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C. Second Round – Sunday, November 8, 9:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. ET

 

Required repertoire:

• Mozart or Beethoven - first movement from a sonata for Piano and Violin (up to 10 minutes)

• A virtuoso piece of the candidate's choice (up to 10 minutes)

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Total timing: max. 20 minutes

 

Three contestants will be admitted to the Third and Final Round. Contestants will be notified about the results of the Second Stage by electronic mail.

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D. Final Round – Sunday, November 8, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. ET 

 

Required repertoire: Violin concerto by H. Wieniawski 

 

Total timing: 30 minutes

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Competition results will be made public as the Jury has finished its deliberations.

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V. Prizes and Awards

 

• First Prize: $8,000

• Second Prize: $5,000

• Third Prize: $3,000

• Special Prize: $2,000 for the best performance of the Polish contemporary piece

• Special Prize: $1,000 for the best performance of a Henryk Wieniawski piece

• Special Prize: $1,000 for the best performance of a Karol Szymanowski piece

• Special Performance Award during the Manchester Music Festival in Vermont, offered by Mr. Philip Setzer

• A performance with the Connecticut Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra, offered by Mr. Adrian Sylveen

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VI. Additional Rules

 

1. The order of the participants' performances in each round will be determined by the Competition Jury. 

2. For organizational and programmatic reasons, the Artistic Director may change the sequence of a day's performances. 

3. The Kosciuszko Foundation will provide an accompanist for all contestants. Contestants may also choose to perform with their own pianist. 

4. ​The Competition Jury has full discretion in awarding and distributing Competition prizes. All Jury decisions are final and are not subject to appeal. The Jury has the right not to grant a prize. 

5. The members of the Jury will abstain from voting for their relatives or students who are Competition participants within the last three years. 

6. The final round of the competition will be open to the public and presented as a ticketed event.

7. Competition results will be made public following the Final stage as soon as the Jury has finished its deliberations.

8. The First Prize winner will, if requested, perform a recital for the benefit of the Foundation at a mutually agreed date.

9. The Foundation maintains copyright over all video, audio, and photographs taken during the competition period and retains the legal rights to use them.

10. Each Competition participant will sign a Consent and Release Form giving the Foundation the right to use the contestant’s name, image, and performance in the Foundation’s print publications and on online platforms for educational and promotional purposes related to the Foundation’s mission.

11. The Foundation reserves the right to make any changes to the overall Competition structure as it sees fit, including changing the number and dates of the Competition stages and editing rules and regulations.

12. All award payments will be processed exclusively within the United States and will not be issued or transferred internationally. Recipients of awards are required to provide a valid U.S. Social Security Number for payment and tax reporting purposes.

13. The Foundation takes no responsibility or liability for the Contestant's travel, accommodation, food, medical insurance, or any other expenses incurred in participating in the Competition. 

14. Each live Round of the Competition will be recorded for the Jury's assessment and for promotional activities related to the Competition. 

15. The application fee is $60.