Founded in 1947 and closely linked to the Prague Spring International Music Festival, this competition remains one of Europe’s longstanding platforms for emerging classical musicians. The 77th edition concluded this week in Prague with finals in the flute and piano categories, bringing together young performers from around the world at the Rudolfinum’s Dvořák Hall.
French flutist Maël Metzger won first prize in the flute category, while Korean pianist Sehyeok Son took top honours in piano.
French sweep in the flute category
Twenty-two-year-old Maël Metzger received first prize in the flute category after the final round on 13 May. His compatriots Iris Daverio and Mathilde Alvin Besson won second and third prizes respectively, completing a French sweep of the podium. German flautist Moritz Schulte received an Honourable Mention from the jury.
“I don’t think I’ve ever experienced so many emotions in my life as I have here tonight during the final,” Metzger said after receiving the award.
In addition to first prize, Metzger also received the Bohuslav Martinů Foundation Prize, the Prize of the City of Prague, the Czech Radio Prize, the Bärenreiter Prize, and invitations to perform at the 2027 Prague Spring Festival and with the Pilsen Philharmonic during the 2026–27 season. Daverio won the Audience Prize.
The competition attracted a record 239 flute applicants this year. The final round featured Johann Sebastian Bach’s Partita in A minor for solo flute, BWV 1013 and the Concerto for Flute and Orchestra by Jindřich Feld, performed with the Hradec Králové Philharmonic Orchestra under conductor Kaspar Zehnder.
The flute jury was chaired by Philippe Bernold and included Emily Beynon, Christina Fassbender, Davide Formisano, Barthold Kuijken, Václav Kunt and Jan Ostrý.
Sehyeok Son wins the piano category
The following evening, eighteen-year-old Sehyeok Son won first prize in the piano category. Chinese pianists Zhiquan Wang and Xuehong Chen received second and third prizes.
“I feel very refreshed,” Son said after the final. Reflecting on his collaboration with conductor Petr Altrichter, he added: “I had always thought conductors were intimidating and very strict. But he proved to me that this is not the case.”
Son performed Johannes Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in the final round with the Prague Symphony Orchestra. Jury chairman Daniel Browell praised the performance, describing the concerto as “almost like chamber music” and highlighting Son’s balance with the orchestra.
In addition to first prize, Son received the Viktor Kalabis and Zuzana Růžičková Prize, the Prize of the City of Prague, the Bärenreiter Prize, and an invitation to perform at the 2027 Prague Spring Festival. Wang received the Audience Prize.
Honourable Mentions after the second round went to Chinese pianist Ziye Tao and Korean pianist Junho Cha.
The piano jury included Joonas Ahonen, Dina Yoffe, Leonel Morales, Katarzyna Popowa-Zydroń, Martin Kasík and Ivo Kahánek.
According to the organisers, live streams and recordings from the second and final rounds in both categories have already exceeded 40,000 views on the competition’s YouTube channel.
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