Seifert Competition is the world’s only international jazz competition dedicated to improvising string players – violinists, violists and cellists. Held in Kraków, the city where Zbigniew Seifert was born, the competition brings together young musicians from around the world who share a passion for improvisation, creativity and musical courage.
The idea for the competition was born from a desire to preserve and promote the legacy of Zbigniew Seifert – one of the most outstanding jazz violinists in the history of the instrument. In the 1970s Seifert revolutionized the role of the violin in jazz, creating his own musical language that combined the freedom of improvisation with the virtuosity of classical technique.
Since its first edition, Seifert Competition has become an important meeting place for a new generation of improvising string players. For many young artists it has been a breakthrough moment – an opportunity to perform before an international jury, meet other musicians and open the door to an international career.
The competition formula is open – we welcome different musical styles, performance approaches and original compositions. The organizer of the competition aims to discover strong musical personalities in the spirit of Zbigniew Seifert. We therefore look forward to exciting musical experiences, artistic surprises and the emotions that come with the performances of a new generation of artists.
The jury has included outstanding figures of the international jazz and improvisation scene, such as Michał Urbaniak, Miroslav Vitouš, Mark Feldman, Anja Lechner and Ernst Reijseger – musicians who have helped shape the history of contemporary jazz and improvised music.
Seifert Competition is more than a competition – it is a celebration of creativity, artistic individuality and the living spirit of jazz.
First Prize winners of the competition:
2014 – Bartosz Dworak (PL)
2016 – Mateusz Smoczyński (PL)
2018 – Mario Forte (FR)
2020 – First Prize not awarded
2022 – Kacper Malisz (PL)
2024 – Anaïs Drago (IT)
The full list of winners can be found in the LAUREATES section.
The list of jury members can be found in the JURY section.
The idea and initiative for the Zbigniew Seifert International Jazz Violin Competition came from Dr. Małgorzata Jantos – Chair of the Council of the Zbigniew Seifert Foundation.
The Zbigniew Seifert International Jazz Violin Competition takes place in cooperation with the Jazz Juniors Festival and Competition as part of Krakow Jazz Week.