Brian Isaacs

Viola Candidate 2025

Biography

Place of Birth
New York (US)

Place of Residence
Berlin (DE)

Studies

Kronberg Academy (DE), Prof. Tabea Zimmermann
Hochschule für Musik und Darstellende Kunst Frankfurt (DE), Prof. Tabea Zimmermann
Karajan-Akademie der Berliner Philharmoniker (DE), Prof. Sebastian Krunnies
Yale University (US), Prof. Ettore Causa

Prizes

Max Rostal International Viola Competition 2024 (DE), 2nd Prize, All Special Prizes
Markneukirchen International Viola Competition 2025 (DE), 3rd Prize
Oskar Nedbal International Viola Competition 2024 (CZ), 3rd Prize, Martinů Prize

COMPETITION PROGRAMME

Online Recital

G. Knox: Three Weddings and a Fight
J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

Semi-Final Round – Solo Recital

E. Grieg (arr. T. Riebl): Violin Sonata No. 3 in C minor, Op. 45
G. Bacewicz (arr. S. Kamasa): 4 Capricci
F. Schubert (arr. B. Isaacs): Fantasie in C Major, D. 934

Semi-Final Round – Chamber Music

W. A. Mozart: Divertimento KV563 (mvt 1-3)
L. Berio: Naturale

Final Round

L. Albisetti: Nouvel Élan
P. Hindemith: Viola Concerto “Der Schwanendreher”

Events

08.09.2025 - 01.01.1970 - Online broadcast

Viola Online Recital

SESSION 1 - MONDAY 8 SEPTEMBER, 10:00 AM GMT+2

Haneul Park, 24 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – II. Adagio cantabile, III. Rondo con moto
D. Fujikura : Engraving
R. Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 73

Kyungsik Shin, 27 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – II. Adagio cantabile, III. Rondo con moto
R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
U. Mamlock: From my garden

Brian Isaacs, 25 years old

G. Knox: Three Weddings and a Fight
J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

SESSION 2 - MONDAY 8 SEPTEMBER, 2:00 PM GMT+2

Anna Sypniewski, 26 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungǎ, Loop
R. Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 73

Junyan Du, 17 years old

R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungǎ, Loop

Kinga Wojdalska, 26 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
E. Carter: Figment IV
H. Sitt: Albumblätter Op. 39
G. Kurtág: Signs, games and messages – Hommage a John Cage, György Kroó in memoriam, For Imre Földes at 60

SESSION 3 - TUESDAY 9 SEPTEMBER, 10:00 AM GMT+2

Loan Cazal, 27 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
E. Carter: Figment IV
C. Schumann: 3 Romances, Op. 22
U. Mamlock: From my garden

Katie Liu, 27 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
G. Knox: Three Weddings and a Fight

Eric Seohyun Moon, 28 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
C. Schumann: 3 Romances, Op. 22
G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungǎ, Loop
T. Murail: C’est un Jardin secret

SESSION 4 - TUESDAY 9 SEPTEMBER, 2:00 PM GMT+2

Adèle Ginestet, 27 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flt Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – II. Adagio cantabile, III. Rondo con moto
G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Facsar
C. Schumann: 3 Romances, Op. 22
G. Kurtág: Signs, games and messages - In Nomine - all’ongherese

Momoka Okada, 24 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungǎ, Facsar
R. Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 73

Riko Eto, 25 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
D. Fujikura: Engraving

SESSION 5 - WEDNESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER, 10:00 AM GMT+2

Jason Sheng-Chieh Lan, 27 years old

C. Schumann: 3 Romances, Op. 22
U. Mamlock: From my garden
J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – II. Adagio cantabile, III. Rondo con moto

Kiarra Saito-Beckman, 26 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
G. Knox: Three Weddings and a Fight
C. Schumann: 3 Romances, Op. 22

Sarah Strohm, 20 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungǎ, Prestissimo con sordino

SESSION 6 - WEDNESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER, 2:00 PM GMT+2

Álvaro Castelló, 21 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Loop, Facsar
R. Schumann: 3 Romances, Op. 94

Leonardo Jelveh, 27 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
L. Berio: Sequenza VI

Wassili Wohlgemuth, 24 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
G. Kurtág: Signs, games and messages – Doloroso-Garzulyeknak , Kromatikus feleselos, Perpetuum mobile
G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Chaconne chromatique
R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

SESSION 7 - THURSDAY 11 SEPTEMBER, 10:00 AM GMT+2

Nicolas Garrigues, 26 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungǎ, Chaconne chromatique

Chang Ge, 21 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
G. Knox: Three Weddings and a Fight

Jaeyun Han, 15 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
G. Knox: Three Weddings and a Fight

SESSION 8 - THURSDAY 11 SEPTEMBER, 2:00 PM GMT+2

Alinka Rowe, 26 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Loop, Lamento
R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

Jaume Angelès Fité, 29 years old

R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
G. Knox: Three Weddings and a Fight

Ayaka Taniguchi, 22 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
M. Jarrell: Some leaves II…
R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

SESSION 9 - FRIDAY 12 SEPTEMBER, 10:00 AM GMT+2

Zhefeng Wang, 26 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
G. Knox: Three Weddings and a Fight

Zihan Zhang, 23 years old

G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungă, Loop
C. Schumann: 3 Romances, Op. 22
J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato

Eike Coetzee, 23 years old

R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – II. Adagio cantabile, III. Rondo con moto
A. Arad: Tikvah for solo Viola

SESSION 10 - FRIDAY 12 SEPTEMBER, 2:00 PM GMT+2

Alessandra Yang, 21 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungǎ
G. Kurtág: Signs, games and messages – Jelek I, In memoriam Blum Tamás, Carenza Jig
R. Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 73

Stephen Savage, 21 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
G. Kurtág: Signs, games and messages – The Carenza Jig, In memoriam Tamás Blum, Virág - Zsigmondy Dénesnek
E. Carter: Figment IV
R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

Jieun Yoo, 21 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
A. Arad: Tikvah for solo Viola
R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

SESSION 11 - SATURDAY 13 SEPTEMBER, 2:00 PM GMT+2

Emad Zolfaghari, 20 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – II. Adagio cantabile, III. Rondo con moto
G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Prestissimo con sordino, Lamento
G. Kurtág: Signs, games and messages – The Carenza Jig, Panaszos nóta
R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

Ami-Louise Johnsson, 24 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungǎ, Chaconne chromatique
R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113

Sophie Kiening, 24 years old

J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – I. Allegro moderato
G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Hora lungǎ, Chaconne chromatique
H. Sitt: Albumblätter Op. 39

SESSION 12 - SUNDAY 14 SEPTEMBER, 2:00 PM GMT+2

Gatien Leray, 23 years old

R. Schumann: Märchenbilder, Op. 113
J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – II. Adagio cantabile, III. Rondo con moto
G. Kurtág: Signs, games and messages – In Nomine - all’ongherese, Vagdalkozos

Séamus Hickey, 26 years old

G. Knox: Three Weddings and a Fight
J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – II. Adagio cantabile, III. Rondo con moto
H. Sitt: Albumblätter, Op. 39

Cassandra Teissedre, 23 years old

G. Ligeti: Sonata for solo Viola – Lamento, Chaconne chromatique
R. Schumann: Fantasiestücke, Op. 73
J. N. Hummel: Viola Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 5 No. 3 – II. Adagio cantabile, III. Rondo con moto