Dates and Information

Applications submitted through the Acceptd online platform, opening March 2027

The Johansen International Competition (JIC) for Young String Players Ages 13–17 (violin, viola, and cello) takes place once every 3 years. The next competition will take place March 20-23, 2028 in Washington, DC.

Prizes & Performance Awards

  • $67,000 in prize awards!
  • Equal prizes for violin, viola, and cello:
    First prizes: $10,000 each
    Second prizes: $7,000 each
    Third prizes: $5,000 eachPrize for Best Performance of Commissioned Work: $1,000
    Judges’ Commendation Prizes: $500

Eligibility

  • Eligible contestants are students of violin, viola, or cello who will be age 13 through 17 during the semifinal and final portions of the competition March 21, 2028 to March 23, 2028. That is, contestants must have birthdates from March 24, 2010 to March 21, 2015. A copy of the applicant’s birth certificate or passport is required as proof of age.
  • Current students of the official judges are not eligible.
  • Applicants must not be under professional management.
  • Too old? You may be eligible to compete in the Washington International Competition for Strings (ages 18–28). Click here for details.

Deadline and Important Dates

  • December 2027: Deadline for completing online application. Completed application must include all required videos.
  • January 2028: Preliminary video auditions held and selected semifinalists notified.
  • 2028 Competition Dates: March 20-23

Repertoire Categories

For each work in the following categories, you must provide the composer’s full name and the full title and identifying number or opus number of each work. Contestants must be prepared to play all movements of all repertoire listed in their application for the semifinal and final rounds. All repertoire must be performed from memory except for the accompanied sonata and the new work commissioned for the competition for semifinalists. No changes in submitted repertoire are permitted. If the repertoire in your application does not meet competition requirements as described in the repertoire categories, your application will be disqualified.

  1. One unaccompanied work of Johann Sebastian Bach: a sonata, partita, or suite for violin, viola (transcribed), or cello.
  2. One sonata with piano from the time of Mozart to the present, with the work originally written for violin, viola, or cello and piano. Violists may play transcriptions of works originally written for violin or cello and piano. This sonata should demonstrate ensemble skills and musicality.
  3. One concerto or major work for soloist with orchestra by a composer other than Bach or the composer chosen for your sonata.
  4. One short work or one short movement from a longer work that shows virtuosity.
  5. One new work commissioned for this competition, which will be sent to applicants chosen to perform in the semifinals.

Audition Video Repertoire

Repertoire for the audition videos must be chosen from the repertoire list entered on this application. No other music is permitted. Videos must be unedited. Please name your video files “Category 1,” “Category 2,” and “Category 3,” and do not include your name in the file name. Please include the following:

  1. Two movements of the unaccompanied sonata, partita, or suite of J.S. Bach chosen in Repertoire Category 1.
  2. One movement from the sonata chosen in Repertoire Category 2.
  3. One movement from the concerto or major work chosen in Repertoire Category 3. Include important cadenza, if applicable.

JIC Video Guidelines

  • Applicants will be selected for the semifinal rounds based on submitted video recordings.
  • Applicants must submit three (3) videos with one selection per video, one for each repertoire category required for the videos. NOTE: for the Bach, you may submit a separate take for each movement, but if possible, compile them into one video that is labeled “Category 1” (as indicated above). You may submit two separate videos for the Bach; if so, include the title of the movement in the file name.
  • Works in your videos must be recorded with accompaniment if the work was written with accompaniment. Piano accompaniment for the Category 3 work is preferable to a recording with orchestra.
  • Works required to be performed from memory must be performed from memory on the video.
  • The camera must remain still from the beginning to the end of the selection, and the recording must include the player at all times, with the face as well as both arms and hands of the performer always visible.
  • Any indication of editing within any video will disqualify the application.
  • Please do not speak or display your name within the videos.
  • Videos that are unplayable, inaudible, or faulty such that the judges cannot evaluate the performance will disqualify the application.
  • High-quality audio will enable the judges to better evaluate the performance.
  • Applicants selected to participate in the semifinal round will be notified by mid-January 2028.

Additional Information

  1. FMMC Foundation, Inc., assumes no responsibility for actions of the applicants or escorts or injuries sustained by them during the course of the applicants’ stay in the Washington area, and assumes no responsibility in connection with the applicants’ participation in the Competition.
  2. All eligibility requirements must be met for participation in the competition.
  3. Decisions of the judges are final. Awards may be withheld at the discretion of the judges.
  4. All semifinalists and finalists must perform with the competition’s official pianists. No other pianists are permitted.

Questions