Walter W. Naumburg International Cello Competition 2015

The final round of the Naumburg 2015 International Cello Competition was held yesterday afternoon at Manhattan School of Music in New York City.

The first-prize winner is Lev Sivkov. Mr. Sivkov, a native of Russia, is 25 years old and currently studies in Germany. Mr. Sivkov receives a cash award of $15,000 and two fully subsidized New York recitals.

First-prize winner Lev Sivkov with pianist Evan Solomn

Two cellists tied for second place. They are Jay Campbell, age 26, who is doing his post graduate studies at Juilliard, and Brannon Cho, age 21, who currently attends the Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University. Both cellists receive a cash award of $7,500.

Honorable mentions were also given to the Korean cellist Jee Hay Bae, 27 years old, who studies at the Hochschule fur Musik Freiburg, and Jonathan Roozeman, 18 years old from Finland and studies at the Sibelius Academy Youth Department.

The Five Finalists—pictured left to right are Brannon Cho, Jay Campbell congratulating Jonathan Roozeman, Jee Hye Bae and Lev Sivkok