Queen Fabiola Competition Koningin Fabiolawedstrijd | |
---|---|
Status | Active |
Genre | Music competition |
Location(s) | Mechelen, Belgium |
Inaugurated | August 28–31, 1987[1] |
Founder | Royal Carillon School "Jef Denyn" |
Previous event | July 10–14, 2019 |
Next event | July 10–14, 2024 |
Participants | Carillonneurs |
Patron(s) | Fabiola of Belgium |
Website | Official website |
The Queen Fabiola Competition (Dutch: Koningin Fabiolawedstrijd) is an international music competition for carillon. It was established in 1987 by the Royal Carillon School "Jef Denyn" to supersede the smaller annual competitions held in Belgium.[2] Named after Queen Fabiola of Belgium, the competition's original patron, it was modeled after the Queen Elizabeth Competition. Its establishment was supported by the Flemish Government, Antwerp Province, and the city of Mechelen.[3]
The competition involves learning several pieces of carillon music across three musical styles: baroque, romantic, and contemporary. It is extended over several days, with each contestant playing twice. A panel of judges award five prizes.[2][4]
Considered the equivalent of top global competitions for piano,[2] it has been described as the most important carillon competition in the world[5][6] and the "Olympics of the carillon"[7][8][9]
Year | 1st prize | 2nd prize | 3rd prize | 4th prize | 5th prize | 6th prize | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | Alex Johnson (USA) | Jasper Depraetere (BEL) | Margaret Pan (USA) | Keiran Cantilina (USA) | Peter Bray (AUS) | — | [4] |
2014 | Joey Brink (USA) | Brian Tang (USA) | Thomas Laue (AUS) | Rien Donkersloot (NLD) | Philippe Beullens (BEL) | — | [3] |
2008 | Kenneth Theunissen (BEL) | Toru Takao (JPN) | Malgosia Fiebig (POL) | Jonathan Lehrer (USA) | Monika Kaźmierczak (POL) | — | [10] |
2003 | Twan Bearda (NLD) | Ana Elias (PRT) | Liesbeth Janssens (BEL) | Charles Dairay (FRA) | Henk Veldman (NLD) | — | [11] |
1998 | Tom Van Peer (BEL) | Liesbeth Janssens (BEL) | Ann-Kirstine Christiansen (DNK) | Stefano Colletti (FRA) | Frans Haagen (NLD) | Sergej Gratchev (NLD) | [12] |
1993 | Gideon Bodden (NLD) | Koen Van Assche (BEL) | Bob van Wely (NLD) | Ann-Kirstine Christiansen (DNK) | Kenneth Theunissen (BEL) | Hylke Banning (NLD) | [13] |
1990 | Boudewijn Zwart (NLD) | Brian Swager (USA) | Gildas Delaporte (FRA) | Abel Chaves (PRT) | Gideon Bodden (NLD) | Peter Bremer (NLD) | [14] |
1987 | Geert D'hollander (BEL) | Boudewijn Zwart (NLD) | John Gouwens (USA) | Koen Van Assche (BEL) | Eddy Mariën (BEL) | Bob van Wely (NLD) | [1] |
This four-day competition is undoubtedly the most important in the carillon world.
The most important [carillon competition] is the Queen Fabiola International Carillon Competition in Mechelen, which began in 1987 and takes place every five years.
After only playing the carillon for four years, Johnson received a grant to play at the Royal Carillon Schoolin Mechlem, Belgium after winning the prestigious Queen Fabiola Competition, which is described as the 'Olympics' of the carillon.
Doris Aman, Johnson's former mentor and coordinator of the University's Carillon Society, describes the Queen Fabiola competition as the equivalent of top global competitions in violin or piano, or the Olympics in athletics.
I'll be the Australian representative at the so-called carillon Olympics.