Preliminary Stage

First round: solo violin (24 candidates)

1. Johann Sebastian Bach: a Sonata or a Partita, to be performed without repeats.

2. Niccolò Paganini: two Caprices (Urtext edition – G. Henle) drawn at random by the international Jury from the four presented by the candidate. The two Caprices presented by the candidate for the Preselection round cannot be among these four.

3. Daniela Terranova, In a trace of light, fading memories. World premiere piece commissioned by the Competition.

Second round: recital (12 candidates)

Free Recital program lasting a minimum of 65 minutes and a maximum of 75 minutes, including:

1. a presentation in English of the chosen program, explaining its origin and artistic message (maximum duration 5 minutes).

2. Niccolò Paganini: one composition choosing from:

• Variations on “Di tanti palpiti” M.S. 77 (Peters or Ricordi edition);
• Variations on “Mosè” M.S. 23 (“Sonata a preghiera”) (Schott edition, with the G tuned to B flat);
• Variations on “Non più mesta” M.S. 22 (Ricordi edition);
• Variations on “Le streghe” M.S. 19 (Peters edition).

3. Robert Schumann: Sonata in D minor op. 121 (Urtext edition – G. Henle).

4. One or more pieces of the candidate's choice. Original pieces and transcriptions of all genres and from all periods are admitted.

The order of the pieces can be chosen by the candidate, as is the moment dedicated to the presentation of the program.

Semi-final Stage (6 candidates)

The contestants, performing within established ensembles, will play the following pieces from the chamber music repertoire and, at their choice, one of the two works for solo violin by Niccolò Paganini:

1. Franz Joseph Haydn: Quartet op.20 no.5 in F minor (movements I and III) - 1st violin (Urtext edition – G. Henle);

2. Igor Stravinsky: Three Pieces for String Quartet (1914-1918) - 2nd violin (Boosey & Hawkes edition);

3. Niccolò Paganini:

 - Variations on “God save the King” M.S. 56 (Lemoine edition)

or

 - Variations on “Nel cor più non mi sento” M.S. 44 (IMC edition);

4. Robert Schumann: Piano Quintet op. 44 in E flat major - 1st violin (Urtext edition – G. Henle).

Final Stage (3 candidates)

Each of the three candidates, accompanied by the Orchestra of the Teatro Carlo Felice, will perform:

1. a Paganini concerto, of their choice;
2. a concerto of their choice, from the following list:

• Robert Schumann (WoO 1)
• Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy (op. 64);
• Ludwig van Beethoven (op. 61);
• Johannes Brahms (op. 77);
• Antonin Dvorak (op. 53);
• Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (op. 35);
• Jean Sibelius (op. 47).