[1] Notable past winners and prize winners include: Yuri Bashmet, Myung-whun Chung, Christoph Eschenbach, Sol Gabetta, Alban Gerhardt, Natalia Gutman, Heinz Holliger, Nobuko Imai, Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi, Kim Kashkashian, François Leleux, Jessye Norman, Quatuor Ébène, Thomas Quasthoff, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Antoine Tamestit, Christian Tetzlaff, Alexandre Tharaud, Tokyo String Quartet, Mitsuko Uchida and Anne Sofie von Otter.
The earliest competition discovered two female vocalists who would soon take their place among the international talented: Christa Ludwig and Erika Köth.
The newly founded ARD continued the concept of bringing together talented young musicians from the entire globe.
An emphasis has been placed on modern music, and contemporary composers have regularly been commissioned to write new pieces for this Competition since 2001.
350 to 450 young musicians usually apply each year, out of whom 200 candidates, from 35 to 40 countries, make it past the preliminary round.
Source Organization Artistic Director: Meret Forster Managing Director: Elisabeth Kozik Project Management: Anja Krainz Public Relations: NN Prize money per category[5] Full lists of winners can be retrieved from the competition's website.