This competition is brought forth posthumously at the request and on behalf of the prominent art collector, patron and flutist Ferdinand W. Neess, who passed away in January 2020. In Ferdinand W. Neess’ life, two areas played essential roles: his Art Nouveau collection and his flute playing.

Art Nouveau was a revolutionary art movement. Using the means of art it gave answers for a utopian, aesthetically determined form of society. In the arts around 1900 it also embodied the darker side of existence in the form of symbolism with a dark aesthetic of decay, the mythical and the mysterious. The aim was to create a “total work of art” (Gesamtkunstwerk) that would remove the boundaries between life and art.

In this sense, the competition also wants to build a bridge between the visual arts of Art Nouveau and the music of this era, which was particularly important to Ferdinand W. Neess. Thus, the music and the collection should complement and inspire each other, opening up entirely new worlds of Art Nouveau to the public.

In the spirit of Ferdinand W. Neess, it is important to us that there is no age limit in the competition. Soloists of any nationality can take part (as long as they are 18 years or more)

Registration deadline: May 1st 2022

More information including registration details, prizes and the jury can be found here.