Tenerife International Viola Competition
Synopsis
The Auditorio de Tenerife will host Tenerife International Viola Competition 2025 as part of the activities comprising Viola Fest. The competition will take place in two parts in the auditorium’s Chamber Hall: the semifinal on Monday, 17 November, with 12 competitors in the morning and afternoon; and the final on Wednesday, 19 November, with four competitors who will perform in the afternoon with Cuarteto Schumann and pianist Javier Lanis.
The competition seeks to promote innovative musical undertakings and to disseminate the archipelago’s cultural offerings through Tenerife Viola Masterclass, the Asociación Cultural Resonancias and the Auditorio de Tenerife.
Tenerife International Viola Competition
On November 17, Tenerife will become the global epicenter of the viola with the first edition of the Tenerife International Viola Competition. The opening round offers a musical journey that blends Canarian identity with an international outlook. The program begins with European Romanticism—works by Brahms, Schumann, Schubert, and Franck—followed by an encore inspired by Spanish and Latin American culture, reflecting the dialogue between local roots and universal traditions. Here the semifinal programme and here the notes on the semifinal programme.
A highlight of the competition will be the premiere of Las Nieblas de San Borondón, a new work commissioned from composer and violist Garth Knox. The score intertwines the Canarian Arroró and the melodies of the pito herreño with a contemporary musical language of striking evocative power.
The twelve candidates, representing Germany, China, Portugal, Korea, the United States, Japan, and Spain, were selected from more than fifty applicants after a rigorous process that tested their excellence with works by Telemann, Reger, and Paganini’s Caprices.
An esteemed international jury—Nobuko Imai, Timothy Ridout, Macarena Pesutic, Garth Knox, and Veit Hertenstein—ensures a competition of the highest caliber, firmly placing the Canary Islands on the global cultural map.
The grand finale, on November 19, will bring together the four finalists in a program of extraordinary depth: Bach’s monumental Chaconne and Joaquín Turina’s Escena Andaluza, Op. 7, accompanied by the Schumann Quartet and pianist Javier Lanis. A singular event where virtuosity, tradition, and innovation converge in the heart of the Atlantic.
Artistic datasheet for the finale
Cuarteto Schumann
Erik Schumann, violin
Ken Schumann, violin
Veit Hertenstein, viola
Mark Schumann, cello
Javier Lanis, piano
Programme
The four finalists of Tenerife International Viola Competition 2025 will interpret the repertoire assigned to them by the organisation for this finale, with the accompaniment of Cuarteto Schumann and pianist Javier Lanis.
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750)
Chaconne from Partita No. 2, BWV 1004
Joaquín Turina (1882-1949)
Sextet for viola, piano and string quartet Op. 7 Escena andaluza
Jury
Macarena Pesutic
Garth Knox
Timothy Ridout
Veit Hertenstein
Humberto Orán
Víctor Pablo Pérez
Nobuko Imai
Selected participants
Seleccionados: Oleksandr Ahafonov (Ukraine), Sehun Ahn (Korea), Rodrigo Agudelo (Spain), Francisca Galante (Portugal), Sara Furiuchi (Japan), Mao Konishi (Japan), Antonia Mütze (Germany), Luther Warren (USA), Jingyu Wu (China), Semin Yim (Korea), Minseok Yoo (Korea) y Zihan Zhang (China). Todos ellos actuarán en la semifinal del lunes.
Notes on the finale programme
Tickets
Entry is free until the total capacity is reached.
For further information, please check the general purchase terms and hall conditions.
If you have any questions while purchasing your tickets, please contact taquilla@auditoriodetenerife.com or call 922 568 625 from Monday to Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., except on public holidays.