Wieniawski Competition in Poznań: six violinists in the semi-final, Polish contestant eliminated in Stage III

The Henryk Wieniawski International Violin Competition in Poznań, regarded as the oldest violin competition still running in the world, has entered its next phase. late on Sunday 18 October 2026, the jury, chaired by Bartłomiej Nizioł, announced who will play in Stage IV (the semi-final) of the 17th edition.

Who has gone through

The semi-finalists are Jooha Choi, Anna Im, SooBeen Lee, Jinzhu Li, Bohdan Luts and Meng Zou. Twelve violinists performed in Stage III, held on 17 and 18 October.

Polish contestant eliminated

Among the participants in Stage III was one Polish contestant, Zofia Anna Olesik. According to Polskie Radio Dwójka, she did not advance and was the last of Poland's representatives in the competition. Of the eight Poles who began the competition, she was the only one to reach Stage III.

Olesik is 21 and studies at the Ignacy Jan Paderewski Academy of Music in Poznań in the class of Prof. Marcin Baranowski. In 2025 she won the Zdzisław Jahnke National Violin Competition in Poznań. At the auditions in the Aula of Adam Mickiewicz University she was welcomed with applause from the audience, including friends from her university. In an interview with Radio Dwójka, she said that this kind of support made a great impression on her.

What next

In the semi-final, each of the six participants chooses one of six violin concertos. The results of the next stages will be announced in Poznań.

Background

The competition has been running for more than ninety years and has opened the way onto the world's concert stages for many artists. Ginette Neveu, David Oistrakh, Wanda Wiłkomirska and Agata Szymczewska, among others, are linked with its history. The auditions can be followed in broadcasts on Polskie Radio Dwójka.