Russian Cellist Lev Sivkov Takes First Prize at Naumbur 2015 International Cello Competition

25-year-old Lev Sivkov, from Siberia, Russia, was named first-prize winner of the Naumburg 2015 International Cello Competition, last evening in New York City.

Mr. Sivkov, currently a graduate student at the Music-Academy Freiburg, Germany where he studies with Professor Jean-Guihen Queyras, has also won top prizes this year at the 12 International String Players Competition in France, and the Julio Cardona International Competition in Portugal.

As winner of the Naumburg competition, Mr. Sivkov receives a cash award of $15,000 and two fully subsidized New York recitals.

Two cellists tied for second place. They are Jay Campbell, age 26, who is doing post graduate studies at Juilliard, and Brannon Cho, age 21, who is currently a student at the Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University. Each cellist will receive a cash award of $7,500.

Honorable mentions were given to the Korean cellists Jee Hay Bae, 27 years old and a student at the Music-Academy Freiburg, Germany, and Jonathan Roozeman, 18 years old from Finland who studies at the Sibelius Academy Youth Department.

An international pool of 54 cellists competed in the Naumburg 2015 International Cello Competition. Preliminary and a Semi-Final rounds took place in New York City at the American Academy of Arts and Letters (Oct. 13-16), and the Final Round was held in Manhattan School of Music's Borden Auditorium on Sunday, October 18.

The competition's jury was comprised of Nicholas Mann, David Geber, Natasha Brofsky, Thomas Demenga, Norman Fischer, Bonnie Hampton, Marta Casals Istomin, Michael Kannen, Hei Yi Nei, and Richard Wernick.

The Walter W. Naumburg Foundation was founded in 1926 by Walter W. Naumburg and continues today in the pursuit of ideals set out by Mr. Naumburg. His desire to assist gifted young musicians in America has made possible a long-standing program of competitions and awards in solo and chamber music performance. It was Mr. Naumburg's firm belief that such competitions were not only for the benefit of new stars, but would also be for those talented young musicians who would become prime movers in the development of the highest standards of musical excellence throughout America.

Pictured: Lev Sivkov performing in yesterday's competition. Photo by Brian Hatton.