The 20th edition of the George Enescu International Competition 2026, which will take place in Bucharest from 23 August to 19 September under the theme 'In Search of Excellence' will include nearly one month of events with free public access, giving audiences the opportunity to attend not only the competition itself, but also masterclasses, open rehearsals and the preliminary stages of the competition.

According to the organisers, the programme will take place at the Radio Hall, the Romanian Athenaeum and the National University of Music Bucharest, bringing together renowned artists and young musicians.

The series of free events will begin on 24 August with the international Masterclass, under the baton of the Competition's artistic director, maestro Cristian Macelaru. The programme, running until 28 August at the Radio Hall, will bring together six selected young conductors and the Romanian Youth Orchestra.

The public will be able to attend both the orchestra's rehearsals and the working sessions led by Cristian Macelaru, offering a chance to observe how a musical interpretation is developed and the relationship between the conductor and the ensemble.

At the same time, from 24 to 26 August, the National University of Music Bucharest will host the international Composition Masterclass, organised with the participation of the Couleurs Ensemble. Participants will work alongside the ensemble's performers under the guidance of composers Zygmunt Krauze, Sarah Kirkland Snider and Steven Mackey.

Furthermore, from 26 to 28 August, at the Small Auditorium of the Romanian Athenaeum, Cristian Macelaru will lead a Masterclass for Instrumental Performance and Advanced Music Studies for young instrumentalists selected through the competition's educational programme.

After the masterclasses conclude, the public will be able to attend the competition's preliminary rounds free of charge. Competitors in the Cello Section will perform in the George Enescu Hall of the National University of Music Bucharest from 29 August to 3 September, followed by the Violin Section from 4 to 9 September and the Piano Section from 10 to 15 September.

The organisers are also offering free access to the first part of the semi-finals hosted by the Romanian Athenaeum. The first part of the Cello Section semi-final will take place on 5 September, followed by the Violin Section semi-final on 11 September and the Piano Section semi-final on 17 September.

On each of these days, starting at 10:00, the competitors will perform works composed by George Enescu.

'The Enescu Competition is not only about extraordinary concerts and the competition between some of the world's most talented young musicians. (...) Many prize winners who now perform on the world's most prestigious stages were first seen by Bucharest audiences during the competition's preliminary rounds. (...) The free-access events complement the programme of concerts and final rounds, offering the public a rare insight into the world of classical music. Instead of a conventional relationship between stage and audience, the Enescu Competition proposes a participatory experience, in which spectators become witnesses to the artistic process: they attend rehearsals, follow the dialogue between teachers and young musicians, discover how a musical interpretation is developed and understand the demands behind artistic excellence. It is an invitation not only to classical music lovers, but to everyone who wants to understand how artistic excellence is nurtured and to discover, before these young musicians reach the world's great stages, the artists who will shape the future of classical music,' according to a press release sent to AGERPRES on Thursday.

The George Enescu International Competition is an event held under the High Patronage of the President of Romania and funded by the Romanian Government through the Ministry of Culture.

The event is organised by ARTEXIM. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Oana Madalina Negrea; EN - writing by: Rodica State)