Welcome

It is with great excitement and anticipation that the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition and the British Viola Society announce the fourth Cecil Aronowitz International Viola Competition (CAIVC), which will be held at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Gateshead from 19th  – 25th  January 2025.

We invite applications from violists from anywhere in the world aged 18 or under at the time of the competition (born on or after 26^th January 2006).

We are thrilled to announce that the Cecil Aronowitz International Viola Competition (CAIVC) is moving from the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire (RBC) to The Glasshouse in Gateshead. The fourth iteration of the competition will take place from 19-25 January 2025 and will be joining forces with the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition (LTIVC). The two competitions will run concurrently with an extensive education and performance inspired festival that will attract violists and musicians from across the globe.

The CAIVC has enjoyed a glorious nine years at its home in Birmingham and is proud to have been an important part of the journeys of talented violists. With Timothy Ridout as the inaugural winner (2014), followed by Emma Wernig (2017), Edgar Francis (2021), and a further list of high-flying young soloists and chamber musicians such as Noga Shaham, Sào Soulez Larivière, Yue Yu and Tomohiro Arita who have won prizes, the future is looking bright.

This competition is dedicated to the memory and legacy of Cecil Aronowitz (1916-1978), a South African born violist, friend of Benjamin Britten chamber musician, soloist, teacher who has left a vast recording and musical legacy.

With grateful thanks to the Tertis Foundation, The Glasshouse, Royal Northern Sinfonia and the British Viola Society.

The Aronowitz Competition is looking forward to running alongside the Tertis Competition, with a little adjustment to the age specifications for each of the competitions: Tertis is now from age19 and not more than 30 years and Aronowitz 18 years and under. We are delighted to announce that Royal Northern Sinfonia will be playing for the finalists in both competitions. As we join the competitions together, our ambitions are to promote, nurture and inspire the next generation of violists.

Sarah-Jane Bradley, Dr Louise Lansdown and Martin Outram