The 59th Besançon International Competition for Young Conductors concluded on Sunday with the triumph of Satoshi Yoneda, 29, from Japan, who received the Grand Prix after a unanimous decision by the jury. The final took place under true concert conditions, with each of the three candidates leading the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie in a demanding 40-minute program that included the world premiere of Delirium Scherzo by composer-in-residence Régis Campo, specially commissioned for the Festival.
Yoneda, whose award includes €12,000, professional mentoring, and engagements with partner orchestras, was presented the trophy by the jury president, Michael Schønwandt. The young conductor has already worked with leading Japanese orchestras such as the NHK Symphony and the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony, and was previously a finalist at the Tokyo International Music Competition for Conducting.
The jury also granted a Special Mention to Tianyi Xie, a 21-year-old conductor from China and the youngest participant in the competition. Xie not only impressed the jury with his “incredible talent and tremendous potential” but also captured both the Audience’s Favorite and the Orchestra’s Favorite awards, in what were described as extremely close votes.
A competition with history
Created in 1951, the Besançon Competition is one of the most respected platforms for emerging conductors. Over the decades it has launched the careers of figures such as Seiji Ozawa, Jesús López-Cobos, and Sylvain Cambreling. Unlike many contests, it places strong emphasis on live rehearsal and performance with orchestra, testing not only technique but also communication skills and artistic leadership.
Organized every two years within the Besançon International Music Festival, the event has become a benchmark in the field, with winners frequently gaining international recognition and engagements.
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