Preliminary rounds programme now available
The programme for the preliminary rounds on Saturday 19 September 2026 at Musis & Stadstheater Arnhem is now available! Download the PDF here! It includes information about our judges, the prizes and how to donate.
This edition’s preliminary rounds and semi-finals (for all ages) will take place on Saturday 19 September 2026 and Sunday 20 September 2026, both at Musis & Stadstheater Arnhem. The preliminary rounds have free entrance. Tickets for the semi-finals can be bought here.
As in previous editions, the final will be held at Concertgebouw De Vereeniging in Nijmegen on Sunday 27 September 2026. Tickets for the final can be bought here.
The ensembles that have registered will be contacted.
Tomorrow, Wednesday 15 July, our registration period officially closes! A few places are still available for participants aged 11 to 18 (Jong Gelre). Register today to take part in the competition, develop your ensemble, and, if you choose to compete for the prizes, stand a chance of winning fantastic musical awards.
Kamermuziek Concours Gelre for ages 19–27 is full! You can still register, but your ensemble will then be placed on a waiting list.
There are still a few places available for Kamermuziek Concours Jong Gelre (for ages 11 to 18), you can register until 15 July.
Please note: the deadline for registering for Kamermuziek Concours Gelre has been extended to Wednesday 15 July! Register by this date to take part in our competition, receive valuable feedback from an expert jury and stand a chance of winning fantastic prizes.
Previous winners of Kamermuziek Concours Gelre have once again been recognised for their achievements! On Sunday, 7 June, the Dokwerk Saxophone Quartet won both the Dutch Classical Talent Award and the Audience Award. They were the recipients of the First Prize and the Stage Prize at our competition in 2022. We would like to take this opportunity to congratulate them on this wonderful achievement.
We also have some special news about the Martin String Quartet: the ensemble is one of the four outstanding young ensembles selected to take part in Dutch Classical Talent 2026/2027. In 2024, they won both the First Prize and the Festival Prize at our competition. We wish them every success in this exciting next step.
Wonderful performances! Who knows, you might be the next ensemble! Sign up!
It may be 1 April today, but this is no joke: the registration form for Kamermuziek Concours Gelre 2026 is now officially open! Register via the buttons on our homepage or by clicking here! The deadline for registration is 1 July 2026. We are already very excited to see which ensembles we will be welcoming this year.
Kamermuziek Concours Gelre will take place again in September 2026! The registration form will open on 1 April. We recently welcomed a new Artistic Director, Maaike Eijkman, and she would like to introduce herself to you.
The power of making music together
My first competition experience was at the age of thirteen during the Piano Driedaagse in Rotterdam. I had been looking forward to that moment for weeks, and then there I was, in the main hall of De Doelen. Whole families were there, sandwiches in their bags, and afterwards we celebrated with friends that we had been able to play on such a special stage. And when you hear that you’ve made it to the next round, that’s the icing on the cake, of course, but the cake itself was already there.
From neighbour’s piano to conservatory
I knew from an early age that I wanted to do something with music. As a child, I spent more time at my neighbour’s house, because they had a piano, than at home. My parents quickly decided that I needed my own instrument, and from that moment on, music became an integral part of my life. At the age of twelve, I was admitted to the young talent class at the conservatory in The Hague; the beginning of a lifelong passion.
The magic of chamber music
During my studies, I discovered how valuable it is to play together. Listening, tuning in, reinforcing each other; chamber music not only makes you a better musician, but also a richer person. And when you manage to tell a story on stage that touches the audience, it’s pure magic.
A competition full of innovation and connection
As Artistic Director of Kamermuziek Concours Gelre I consider it a great privilege to work with the organisation to give direction to this special event. With inspiring venues such as Musis Arnhem and De Vereeniging in Nijmegen, an expert jury, the new Kamerklanken section and masterclasses that offer young talents new stages, we are building a competition that sparkles with energy, connection and inspiration.
The cake is already here, but the cherries keep coming.
Yesterday was the final of Kamermuziek Concours Gelre 2024 and it was one to remember! Five ensembles played amazingly for coveted prizes. We congratulate the Martin String Quartet on winning 1st Prize and Festival Prize, Song Duo Verheij & van den Dool on winning 2nd Prize and Viola Sisters on winning 3rd Prize! The Podium Prize this year went to the Florestan Piano Quartet, which means they will be hosting their own lunch concert in De Vereeniging. The other prizes are equivalent to master classes and we will see the Martin String Quartet back at the Grachtenfestival Amsterdam by winning the Festival Prize. Congratulations to all! Go to our socials for the videos!
