In 2026, the Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels will experience a truly special edition dedicated to the cello, marking three major anniversaries: the 150th anniversary of the birth of Queen Elisabeth, the 75th anniversary of the Queen Elisabeth Competition, and the 150th anniversary of the birth of Pablo Casals.
A series of concerts, festivals, exhibitions, and participatory projects throughout Belgium will celebrate this triple anniversary, with the Cello Competition session as the highlight of the spring season.
One of the exceptional moments of this edition will be the extraordinary loan of Pablo Casals’s Goffriller cello from 1733 to the First Prize winner of the 2026 Competition.
Founded in 1937 under the name Eugène Ysaÿe Competition, the Competition established itself from its very first edition as a global platform, bringing together prestigious juries and young soloists from leading international schools. After the Second World War, it was reborn in 1951 under its current name, the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition, and became one of the most prominent competitions, initially for piano and violin, then for voice from 1988, and for cello since 2017.
This triple celebration will extend far beyond the Competition rounds themselves. Elisabeth Week will open the festivities in Antwerp and Waterloo, featuring former laureate and pianist Sergei Redkin alongside the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra and musicians from the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel, in a dialogue between concerto and chamber music. Later in the year, Queen’s Delight will bring together ten laureates from different generations and disciplines at Flagey (as part of the Klarafestival) and at DE SINGEL (Antwerp) for a weekend during which the Competition’s story will be told through those who have shaped its history.
In spring, Belgian postal operator bpost will issue a commemorative stamp depicting Queen Elisabeth with her violin. In the background will be a handwritten score by Eugène Ysaÿe, referencing the origins of the competition. These events and other initiatives, which are aimed at young audiences and music lovers, will bring the Competition to life in concert halls, cities and everyday life throughout the year.
More information:
https://queenelisabethcompetition.be/en/75-150-years/
