Sixty four entrants performed in the first round.
In the semi-finals, which begin on Monday, each contestant will perform twice: a concerto with orchestral accompaniment, and a recital including works of the candidate’s choice and the compulsory unpublished work written especially for this year’s edition of the event by Harold Noben, Caffeine.
Born in 2003, Michalski is studying for a master’s degree at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris.
He has won several competitions in Europe and the United States, including the Johansen International Competition for Young String Players in Washington, DC. He has performed as a soloist with symphony and chamber orchestras in Poland, Germany, and Colombia, and has given recitals in Poland, Belgium, Germany, Slovakia, Israel, the United States, and Colombia.
The other Polish cellist in the first round of the competition was Maria Leszczyńska.
The top prizewinner will receive the Queen Mathilde Prize of EUR 25,000.
Founded 75 years ago, the Queen Elisabeth Competition is one of the world's most prestigious music contests. The 2026 edition is dedicated to the cello for the third time.
(mk/aj)
Source: The Strad