Phantastic success - the young Hungarian cellist, István Várdai has won one of the world's most prestigious music competitions, that of ARD in Munich. Várdai won back in 2008 the Geneva Competition, too, which makes his Munich victory even more exceptional.

There have been as many as 65 participants in the cello competition. The three who made it to the final round held on September 12th in the Herkulessaal of Munich were French cellist Bruno Philippe (who finished third) and the Rumanian Andrei Ioniţă (who finisherd second.). Launched in 1952, the ARD Competitions count among the most important ones in classical music. The list of earlier winners includes legendary musicians such as Maurice André (trumpet), Heinz Holliger (oboe), Christian Tetzlaff (violin), Mitsuko Uchida (piano), Jessye Norman (vocal) and Yuri Bashmet (viola), to mention just a few.