Harp Contest 2025

The Franz Josef Reinl Foundation and its chairman Ernst Grossmann organise thecomposition contest 2025 in collaboration with universities, colleges, and conservatories for music to support young harp players.

The Franz-Josef-Reinl-Foundation was established by Hilde Reinl, wife of the composer Franz-Josef Reinl (1903-1977) and mother of the harpist Herrmann Ertl (1923-1963), with the intention to support young musicians.

The Contest is open for all harp players born after the 1st of January 1999. Previous 1st prize winners are excluded from the contest.

First round:

I. Ludwig van Beethoven: Variations about a Swiss Song
II. One concert etude from:
– Wilhelm Posse: eight great concert etudes
– Eric Schmitt: Six Etudes pour harpe

II. One of the following works:
– Nicolas Flagello: Sonata for harp
– Ernst Krenek: Sonata for harp
– Germaine Tailleferre: Sonate pour harpe

Second Round:

I. A sonata by Domenico Scarlatti

II. One of the following works:
– Graciane Finzi: Rythmes et Sons
– Florentine Mulsant: Nighthawks
– Fuminori Tanada: Mysterious Morning

III. One of the following works by Henriette Renié:
– Piece Symphonique
– Ballade
– Légende

The entire second round may not be longer than 20 minutes.

The artistic director of the Contest 2025 will be Mirjam Schröder.

An jury will decide on the awards, their decision is final.

The Reinl award 2025 for Harp amounts to

• 3.000 euros for the first place,
• 2.000 euros for the second place, and
• 1.500 euros for the third place.

The awards will be documented with diplomas.

The award ceremony and the concert of the award winners will take place on 27th September 2025 in Vienna. Participation of the award winners is mandatory.

Certifications, curriculum vita, matriculation certificate of the participant and a appraise of the participant´s harp teacher must be postmarked before 20th of March 2025 to (also per e-mail to reinl-harfenwettbewerb@mdw.ac.at):

Franz Josef Reinl-Stiftung
Keyword “Reinl-Preis 2025”
Dr. Ernst Grossmann
em. Rechtsanwalt
Singerstraße 27
1010 Vienna
Austria

With the application the Applicants accept the competition rules.

The participant´s Contest program must accompany the application and cannot be changed afterwards.

Time and place of Contest and Concert

The Contest will be held between 24h and 27th of September 2025 at mdw – University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. Arrival day is the 24th of September. Contest will be on 25th to 27th of September.

The date of the Concert of the award winners will be on 27th of September also at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Anton von Webern Platz, 1030 Vienna at 4 p.m. Participation of the award winners is mandatory.

Reinl-Stiftung will pay the travel expenses and hotel costs of the candidates (not living in Vienna) within Austria minus a deductible of 100 EURO (tourist-class hotel and train ticket 2nd class).