Queen Elisabeth Competition Names 12 Cello Finalists
Twelve cellists from 11 countries have been selected as finalists for the 2026 Queen Elisabeth Competition for cello, one of the world’s most prestigious classical music contests. The finalists, chosen from 24 semifinalists who performed from May 11-16 at Flagey in Brussels, will compete for the top prize from May 25-30 at the Brussels Centre for Fine Arts (BOZAR).
According to VRT NWS, jury president Gilles Ledure announced the names shortly after midnight on May 17 following six days of deliberation. The semifinal round featured each cellist performing a recital including the imposed work “Caffeine” by Harold Noben, alongside a concerto by Anton Kraft, Michael Haydn, or Leopold Hofmann with the Orchestre Royal de Chambre de Wallonie conducted by Vahan Mardirossian.
The 12 Finalists
The finalists represent a diverse array of nationalities, ranging in age from 20 to 29. Among them are nine men and three women. Three finalists—Clara Dietlin, Dilshod Narzillaev, and Andrew Ilhoon Byun—currently study at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Waterloo.
The complete list of finalists (in alphabetical order): Andrew Ilhoon Byun (28, Canada), Clara Dietlin (24, France), Tae-Yeon Kim (20, South Korea), Yo Kitamura (22, Japan), Leland Ko (27, USA/Canada), Álvaro Lozano Cames (20, Spain), Lionel Martin (23, Germany), Krzysztof Michalski (23, Poland), Dilshod Narzillaev (28, Uzbekistan), Ettore Pagano (23, Italy), Ivan Sendetsky (29, Russia), and Maria Zaitseva (24, Russia).
Notable semifinalists who did not advance include Isaac Lottman (Netherlands), the only Dutch semifinalist, and Maria Meipariani (Georgia), who gained attention for singing while playing.
A Week of Musical Seclusion
Before the finals, each finalist will spend a week in isolation at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Waterloo to learn the newly commissioned imposed work, “Four Odes to the Tidings of Flowers” by Chinese-born American composer Fang Man. As The Bulletin reports, this period “is akin to a retreat as they will have no contact with the outside world. Abandoning all digital devices, including smartphones, the sequestration is designed to help them focus on the arduous task ahead in tranquil surroundings.”
The Final Round
During the final round, two finalists will perform each evening with the Belgian National Orchestra, conducted by Antony Hermus, at BOZAR’s Henry Le Boeuf Hall. Each finalist will perform their chosen concerto alongside the imposed work. Tae-Yeon Kim of South Korea has notably selected the Lutoslawski Cello Concerto—the same piece with which her compatriot Hayoung Choi won the previous cello edition in 2022. The Queen Elisabeth Competition’s official website lists all candidates and their profiles.
The proclamation of results will take place after the final performance on Saturday, May 30, around midnight. Queen Mathilde of Belgium will attend the ceremony.
A Milestone Anniversary Edition
The 2026 competition carries special significance as it marks the 75th anniversary of the competition (since its 1951 renaming) and the 150th anniversaries of both founder Queen Elisabeth and cellist Pablo Casals. To commemorate these milestones, the Goffriller cello “Casals” will be loaned for four years to the first laureate, as reported by The Strad.
The top prize—the Queen Mathilde Prize—carries a cash award of €25,000, with additional prizes of €20,000, €17,000, €12,500, €10,000, and €8,000 for the second through sixth place finishers. Each of the six unranked laureates will receive €4,000.
How to Follow the Competition
The final concerts at BOZAR are sold out, but the public can follow the event via live coverage by Belgian public broadcasters RTBF and VRT, as well as through the competition’s YouTube channel. Following the final, a series of recitals featuring the top six laureates will be staged at BOZAR and concert halls across Belgium.
The jury for the final round, chaired by Gilles Ledure, includes renowned cellists such as Natalie Clein, Roel Dieltiens, Valentin Erben, Ophélie Gaillard, Anne Gastinel, Marie Hallynck, Gregor Horsch, Anssi Karttunen, Daniel Müller-Schott, Sharon Robinson, Jian Wang, and Sonia Wieder-Atherton.
What to Watch For
With an average age of approximately 24, this year’s finalists represent the next generation of world-class cellists. The competition, which rotates between disciplines on a four-year cycle (piano, cello, voice, violin), has launched the careers of previous cello winners Victor Julien-Laferrière (2017) and Hayoung Choi (2022). The 2026 edition promises to continue this tradition of showcasing extraordinary talent on the global stage.