Talents in the spotlight: Malchow Church Prize inspires young musicians!

Talents in the spotlight: Malchow Church Prize inspires young musicians!

On July 1, 2025, the Malchow Church shone in the splendor of numerous young talents who competed for the top places at the 16th International Malchow Church Prize. The evening not only offered musical performances of a high standard, but also tense moments as the rankings were kept secret until the awards ceremony. In his welcome, Pastor Thomas Dietz praised the supporters of the competition and made it clear how important private donations and institutional sponsors are for the awarding of several prizes and recognitions. Overall, the achievements of the children and young people are remarkable, which presented the jury with a difficult decision.

The approximately two-hour concert evening was moderated by Jürgen Zur, who gave the audience interesting information about the various participants. The highlight of the evening was the concert by Teodor Bagiński from Szczecin, who played the Grüneberg organ. The various program items included classical instruments, singing and ensembles, which impressed the jury, consisting of nine members.

The award winners at a glance

The prizes were awarded to the applause of the enthusiastic audience:

• 1. Platz: Jakob Maximilian Rau aus Neubrandenburg, der an der Young Academy Rostock (YARO) studiert.
• 2. Platz: Elli Giulietta Brehme aus Lütow, ebenfalls Schülerin der YARO.
• 3. Plätze: Aleksandrs Kručiņins und Artjoms Laškovs aus Lettland mit ihrem Akkordeon-Duo sowie die Querflötistin Amelia Sęczawa und der Pianist Jan Kozłowski.
• Sonderpreis der International School Szczecin: Barbara Masoula (11 Jahre) aus Stettin (1000 Złoty).
• Sonderpreise für Ensembles: Das polnische Gesangsensemble „Vocal Summit“ (500 Euro) und die „Szczecin Accordion Band“ (250 Euro).

The main and special prizes aim to promote musical training and young talent in the areas of organ and singing. The aim of these events is to support the joy of life and the Christian hope of faith through high-quality music-making, as was shown by the last competition in May of this year, in which almost 70 program items were presented. Numerous children and young people from different countries performed there, which underlines the international character of the event. Further details about the rankings can be found on the Schönfeld parish website.

A look into the future

The next International Malchow Church Prize competition is planned for April 2026, with an award ceremony in June of the same year. As Gudrun Dietz, the jury chairwoman, emphasizes, she and her husband will continue to pursue their passion for musical promotion despite their planned retirement and move.

But the award ceremony is not just about promoting young talent. Music is also very important in other areas, such as the holiday camp. Here children and young people can immerse themselves in the world of music, rehearse pieces and even help organize concerts. Such offers are of great value for both the musical and social skills of young people, as the initiatives organized by bundesmusikverband.de show.