International Flute Competition Ferdinand W. Neess
Prize Fund: €10,000
🥇 1st Prize: €5,000
🥈 2nd Prize: €3,000
🥉 3rd Prize: €2,000
The International Flute Competition Ferdinand W. Neess was established to honor the legacy of Ferdinand Wolfgang Neess — a renowned art collector, philanthropist, and devoted patron of Wiesbaden’s cultural life. Neess is best known for donating the largest private Art Nouveau collection in Europe to the State of Hessen, now housed at Museum Wiesbaden.
Reflecting his passion for beauty, artistry, and accessibility, the competition embodies the spirit of inclusion and creativity that defined Neess’s life. It welcomes flutists of all nationalities aged 18 and above, with no upper age limit, and explicitly encourages both professional and non-professional participation.
Held biennially in the elegant halls of Museum Wiesbaden, the event blends musical excellence with the museum’s unique artistic atmosphere, offering competitors and audiences alike a celebration of sound and art.
Laureates of Previous Competitions
2024
🥇 Emma Hochschild (Germany) – 1st Prize
🥈 Efrem Workman (United States) – 2nd Prize
🥉 Juree Kim (South Korea) – 3rd Prize
🥉 Shigetora Yokoi (Japan) – 3rd Prize
2022
🥇 Pawel Niziolek (Poland) – 1st Prize
🥇 Uliana Zhivitskaya (Russia) – 1st Prize
🥈 Maël Metzger (France) – 2nd Prize
🥈 Yu-Frei Lin (China) – 2nd Prize
🥉 Theodore Squire (Germany) – 3rd Prize
🥉 Xavier Santos (Portugal) – 3rd Prize