Fritz Kreisler International Violin Competition

The International Fritz Kreisler Competition, a major competition open to young violinists of any nationality, was first held in 1979 in Vienna. The first prize winner of the competition was Dimitri Sitkovetsky, today an internationally renowned violinist and conductor. Since that time, the competition has been dedicated to the memory of Fritz Kreisler, Austria's most important violinist of the 20

th century. Fritz Kreisler (Vienna 1875 - 1962 New York) graduated from the Vienna Conservatoire as a student of Hellmesberger and Bruckner. His career brought him international acclaim on all continents and he was for decades the favourite of audiences the world over. Through the magic of his playing and the charm of his melodies, he was seen worldwide as the embodiment of a Viennese musician. As far as music history is concerned, Kreisler is the last significant virtuoso/composer of the romantic period as well as one of the leading pioneers of violin playing in the 20th century.