The 31st Leos Janacek Competition, hosted by the Faculty of Music of the Janacek Academy of Performing Arts in Brno has announced the winners.

The winner in the violin category is Austrian violinist Eduard Steude. Second place and the prize for the interpretation of a composition by Leos Janacek went to Gaja Wilewska from Poland. Third place went to Jiaqi Lu from China, who also won the prize for the interpretation of a composition by Adam Závodský. The jury awarded an honorary mention and the prize of the Moravian Composers’ Club to Aliaksandra Arbuzava from the Czech Republic.

The Arola Quartet from Switzerland won in the string quartet category; in addition to the financial prize, they also received the award for the best interpretation of a Leos Janacek composition and the opportunity to perform at the International Leos Janacek Festival 2026, the Janacek Brno Festival 2026, and Za poklady Broumovska. Second place went to the British Valegro Quartet , and third place went to the Janečkovo Quartet representing the Czech Republic.