The first Solti International Conducting Competition organized by Müpa Budapest is set to begin on Oct. 1.

Applications were received from 61 countries for the three-round competition. Nearly 400 young conductors taking part in the preliminary selection process. The 24 competitors who will advance to the live preliminary round in Pécs are Sebastián Almánzar, Yael Avivi, Francesco Cagnasso, Célia Nashely Cano, Oliver Cope, Virgil Fok Chin Wai, Fernando Gaggini, Oren Gross Thaler, Belián Hámori, Nathanaël Iselin, Yukuang Jin, Sukjong Kim, Sungjin Kim, Yuji Maruoka, Jesús Ortega Martínez, Matthew Rhodes, Simon Schmied, Apor Szüts, Drummado Wijnhamer, Trevor Wilson, Yu-te Wu, Viktor Záray, and Levente Zsiros.

There will be three preliminary rounds held from Oct. 2 and 3, where conductors will lead two pieces selected at random before the performance. The results of the preliminary round will be announced on Oct. 4 revealing which ten competitors will advance to the semi-finals. The announcement will be followed by a draw of lots to determine which piece each contestant will conduct the Hungarian Radio Symphony Orchestra at the Liszt Academy in the semi-final round on Oct. 5 and 6.

The final will be held in the Béla Bartók National Concert Hall at Müpa Budapest on Oct. 9, where the competitors will conduct the Hungarian National Philharmonic Orchestra. The four competitors who reach the final must each conduct two works, with the assignments determined once again at random. The repertoire for this round includes works by Verdi, Mussorgsky, Dukas and Johann Strauss, as well as pieces by four Hungarian composers. The four finalists will see how they measure up before an international jury chaired by Pinchas Steinberg.

The Solti International Conducting Competition will conclude with a gala concert led by the finalists, where the winners will be announced. The first prize is a cash prize of EUR 20,000, with second and third prize being EUR 12,000, and EUR 8,000, respectively. The audience prize will be awarded EUR 3,000. Other prizes include concert invitations from the heads of organisations and institutions, orchestra leaders, festival directors and managers.