We are delighted and proud to announce the return of the Lionel Tertis International Viola Competition (LTIVC) which will be held for the very first time at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Gateshead from 19-25 January 2025. After a break of six years, and a move from its original home in Port Erin on the Isle of Man the LTIVC is back, and this time joining forces with the Cecil Aronowitz International Viola Competition (CAIVC). The two competitions will run concurrently at The Glasshouse in January 2025, with an extensive education and performance inspired festival that will attract violists and musicians from across the globe.
2025 will celebrate the 14th iteration of the LTIVC, but it is the first to be held in its new home in Gateshead. The inaugural competition was held in 1980, just a few years after Tertis’ death, and until now has always been held every three years on the Isle of Man. With a breathtaking list of past winners, the competition has gone from strength to strength, holding its place amongst the most celebrated and prestigious events on the global viola calendar. Port Erin has throughout this time been the most beautiful and welcoming home for the competition with many years of inspiring history that will always be cherished. This competition is dedicated to the unsurpassed legacy of the great British violist Lionel Tertis (1876-1975) whose contribution to the viola is almost incalculable.
As an aside, The Glasshouse is a short distance from Tertis’ birthplace in West Hartlepool and although hugely different from the IOM it offers new inspiration, contexts, and musical uniqueness. We are excited to begin this new chapter in the competition’s history.
With grateful thanks to the Tertis Foundation, The Glasshouse, Royal Northern Sinfonia, and the British Viola Society.
The Tertis Competition is looking forward to running alongside the Aronowitz Competition, with a little adjustment to the age specifications for each of the competitions: Tertis is now from a minimum of 19 years and above until not more than 30 years, and Aronowitz 18 years and under. We invite applications from violists from anywhere in the world aged 30 or under at the time of the competition (born between 26th January 1994 and 25th January 2006).
We are delighted to announce that Royal Northern Sinfonia will be playing for the finalists in both competitions. As we join together, our ambitions are to promote, nurture and inspire the next generation of violists.
Viva Viola!
Sarah-Jane Bradley, Dr Louise Lansdown and Martin Outram
