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Joseph Bologne International Violin Competition launches in Guadeloupe
A major new international music competition is set to debut this fall in the Caribbean, celebrating the legacy of French violinist and composer Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges.
The Joseph Bologne International Violin Competition, hosted by the Festival International de Musique Saint-Georges, will take place November 18–22, 2025, in Guadeloupe. Open to violinists of all nationalities aged 16 to 32, the competition offers more than €35,000 in prizes and performance opportunities. Applications close August 31.
Finalists will perform with the official Festival Orchestra under the baton of artistic and music director Marlon Daniel.
Honouring a musical trailblazer
The competition pays tribute to Joseph Bologne (1745–1799), an Afro-French violin virtuoso, composer, conductor and Revolutionary-era figure born in Baillif, Guadeloupe. Long overlooked in classical music history, Bologne is now gaining wider recognition for his influence on contemporaries such as Haydn and Mozart.
“Bologne embodied excellence, and yet because of racism, his legacy was systematically minimized and, in many cases, erased,” Daniel said. “The competition is designed to honour and secure Bologne’s rightful place in history, as well as on the concert stages of today.”
Competitors will be required to perform works by Bologne in every round, with the final featuring one of his violin concertos alongside the Festival Orchestra.
A cultural crossroads
Guadeloupe, a French archipelago in the Caribbean, provides a meaningful backdrop for the event. Its venue, the striking waterfront cultural centre Mémorial ACTe, is dedicated to the history of the slave trade.
“Guadeloupe is vibrant, multilingual, and culturally rich — a place where African, European, and Caribbean traditions meet,” said Daniel. “Bringing an international competition here, to Bologne’s birthplace, is especially powerful.”
The competition’s jury will feature internationally recognized musicians including Kinga Augustyn (Poland/USA), Yuan Fang (China), Koh Gabriel Kameda (Japan/Germany), Clarisse Rinaldo (Guadeloupe/France), and Hristo Popov (Bulgaria/USA), who will serve as jury president.
Beyond the canon
For Daniel, the competition also reflects a broader mission: to expand classical music’s repertoire beyond its traditional boundaries.
“Championing underrepresented composers isn’t about politics — it’s about historical truth,” he said. “Bologne was indisputably among the finest of his time, and the competition that bears his name is designed to uphold that same standard.”
In addition to Bologne’s works, Daniel encourages audiences and musicians to explore other historically excluded composers, including Afro-Cuban virtuoso José White, British composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, American composer Florence Price, and modern voices such as Jessie Montgomery, Carlos Simon, and Errollyn Wallen.
A milestone year
The competition coincides with the 280th anniversary of Bologne’s birth. With its blend of world-class artistry, cultural heritage and Caribbean setting, the event aims to give young performers an international platform while reframing the story of one of music history’s most remarkable — and too often forgotten — figures.
Applications for the Joseph Bologne International Violin Competition close August 31, 2025.