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The Lillian and Maurice Barbash

J.S. Bach Competition

Applications Open: April 1, 2023

Application Deadline: June 10, 2023

Click to watch the 2022 Finals on the Violin Channel

2023 Competition Details


The competition is for string players ages 16-30, performing works (Partitas, Sonatas, Suites) by J.S. Bach for unaccompanied bowed string instruments. Modern and baroque bowed instruments are eligible.


The Finals will be held at Stony Brook University’s Staller Center Recital Hall at 1:00pm on Friday, October 20, 2023 and will be streamed by The Violin Channel.


  • Applications accepted beginning April 1, 2023 ($30 submission fee)
  • Submission Deadline: Midnight Saturday, June 10, 2023
  • Finalists announced: Saturday, September 6, 2023

Prizes

Grand Prize: $5000

Second Place Prize: $1000


The Grand Prize Winner will be the featured soloist at the Island Symphony Bach Festival which will be held at 2:00pm on Saturday, January 28, 2024 at St. Peter’s By-the-Sea Episcopal Church in Bay Shore, New York. (Snow Date: February 4, 2024)

The winner will receive an additional fee of $1000. for this performance.


The winner will also be the featured soloist at a concert presented by the Amor Artis chamber chorus in New York City, date and venue TBA.
The winner will receive an additional fee for this performance.


The Grand Prize and Second Place winners will be engaged to perform a joint concert hosted by NYC based Gothic Early Music Scene (GEMS), date and venue TBA. This concert will be streamed live. The archived video of the stream will be available to the performers for their personal use.
The winners will receive an additional fee for this performance.


Read the competition details here.

The 2023 Competition Jury

Cynthia Roberts

Violin / Viola

Full Bio

Colin Carr

Cello

Full Bio

Daniel Stepner

Violin

Full Bio

Arthur Haas

Harpsichord

Full Bio

Ani Kavafian

Violin

Full Bio

Lillian and Maurice Barbash

This competition honors Lillian and Maurice Barbash for their lifelong support of the arts on Long Island. No couple took more joy or was more devoted to promoting classical music.

We are sad to announce the passing of Lillian Barbash.

“Long Island’s First Lady of the Arts, she led the Islip Arts Council for 31 years, building it into a world-class presenter of classical music. Tens of thousands attended her free New York Philharmonic park concert every summer.....”

Read Full Obituary

Honor Murray and Lillian by becoming a Legacy Donor and support young musicians and their enrichment of our communities.

Donate Now

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Contact us: info@jsbachcompetition.org

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