Paganini Competition

Created in 1954 it has been carried out ever since in the months of September and October.

It is held every two years at "Carlo Felice" theatre in Genoa, Italy.

Preliminaries: Preliminary repertoire includes two selections for solo violin or violin and piano accompaniment and two Caprices from Paganini's 24 Caprices, Op.1 M.S.

Controversy ensued prior to the 2018 competition when, in February 2018, Fabio Luisi resigned as chairman of the competition, in protest at his perceived imposition of judges by the Italian cultural official Elisa Serafini.

The player selected by the judges, however, will be given the honor of playing one of Paganini's violins and one of the most known violin owned by Paganini, the Il Cannone made by Guarneri 'Del Gesu', and is often offered recording contracts.