This year, the jury consists of the conductor Lucas Vis (chairman), the American guitarist Seth Josel, harp player Ernestine Stoop, pianist/organ player Leo van Doeselaar and the Russian viola player Mikhail Bereznitsky.

Together, they'll decide which of the many young talents will pocket the prizes of (respectively) 1,125, 2,250 and 4,500 euros

Ernestine Stoop began studying harp, at the age of eleven, with Titia Tieman-van der Laars. She earned her solo diploma in 1980, studying with Edward Witsenburg at the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam. She then studied for two years with the legendary harpist Pierre Jamet. Ernestine Stoop studied chamber music in Salzburg with the violinist Sandor Végh.

After playing for 11 years with the Radio Filharmonic Orchestra, she is now dedicating herself fully to playing as a solist, chamber music (e.g. a duo with Eleonore Pameijer, flute) and teaching. She is a member of the Nieuw Ensemble, ASKO Ensemble and professor at the Royal College of Music in the Hague and at the Fontys High School of Music in Tilburg.

Leo van Doeselaar  is a famous organ-player in the Netherlands and abroad. He frequently appears in concerts throughout the world as a soloist and teacher at numerous important Early Music festivals. In 1995 he was appointed professor of organ at the " Universität der Künste" in Berlin. He is organist of the Van Hagerbeer-organ (1643) of the Leiden Pieterskerk as well as titular organist of the Concertgebouw.

In addition to these activities, he is a dedicated chamber music performer and partners Wyneke Jordans in a widely acclaimed duo-piano team, using both historical and modern instruments. The duo frequently appears in concert and has also recorded a dozen CDs for the Etcetera, Challenge Classics and Globe labels.

Lucas Vis is considered a specialist for contemporary music. He has worked with important composers such as John Cage, Mauricio Kagel, Karlheinz Stockhausen, Theo Loevendie, Louis Andriessen and many others. Lucas Vis has conducted numerous premieres. Vis began his musical career as a cellist. After winning a prize in a conducting course at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, he developed increasingly as a multifaceted conductor.

While working as an assistant to Bruno Maderna from 1967 to 1973 he was awarded the Koussevitzky Tanglewood Composition Prize in 1971. From 1998 until 2005 he was principle of the Amsterdam Conservatory (’Conservatorium van Amsterdam’). Since 2003 he is professor in conducting at named school of music. At the same time he is guest conductor of numerous European orchestra’s, ensembles and leading masterclasses in conducting.

Mikhail Bereznitsky graduated from the Moscow State Conservatory in 1996.  Although he continued performing as a violinist it’s at that time that he started mastering another instrument –viola.
In 1996 he started his post-graduate studies at the Moscow State Conservatory as a violist with Professor Y. Bashmet (1996-1998).

Mikhail Bereznitsky is professor of Moscow State Tchaikovski Conservatory from 2005. He is currently actively pursuing performing career in Russia and abroad.