Organizer
Partner
Programme Advisor
Second Stage
Jury
Meet the jury members of the second stage of the Future Classics program.
They are leading experts connected with Europe’s foremost musical institutions — individuals who discover emerging talent, curate artistic programmes, and collaborate with musicians performing on the world’s greatest stages on a daily basis.
They will select the 15 scholarship recipients of the Future Classics Program.
Cathy Wilkinson
She is Deputy Director of Artistic Planning at the Elbphilharmonie and Laeiszhalle in Hamburg. She is responsible for programming concerts and festivals spanning chamber music, organ recitals, series supporting young artists, jazz, electronic music, and musical traditions from around the world.
Born in England, she studied Modern and Medieval Languages at the University of Cambridge, and later completed postgraduate studies in flute performance at the Royal Northern College of Music. After several years working as a freelance musician and teacher, she joined the Laeiszhalle in 1998, and later became part of the team preparing the opening of the Elbphilharmonie in 2017.
Zsolt-Tihamér Visontay
He is a German–Hungarian violinist who began his musical training in Magdeburg and later studied under Professor Jost Witter at the Schloss Belvedere Music School and the Franz Liszt Academy of Music. At the age of 24, he was appointed Associate Leader of the Philharmonia Orchestra in London.
He regularly appears as a guest concertmaster with leading orchestras across the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States, collaborating with distinguished conductors. As a recording artist, he has worked with Decca Records and Signum Records, and has also contributed to film and television music productions. In 2020, he received the Saxony-Anhalt State Prize for international artistic achievements.
photo: Eduardus Lee
Michiel Wittink
He works as a concert programmer at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, where he curates chamber music programmes and concert series dedicated to emerging talent. His work is shaped by an extensive international network spanning artist agencies, competitions, conservatoires, concert halls, and talent development initiatives.
He is especially passionate about supporting young musicians at the start of their careers and presenting them in ways that foster a closer connection with audiences. He holds Master’s degrees in viola performance and clinical psychology, graduating with distinction from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Alongside his programming work, he remains an active chamber musician and is a co-founder of the Felix Quartet.
Zsolt-Tihamér Visontay
He is a German–Hungarian violinist who began his musical training in Magdeburg and later studied under Professor Jost Witter at the Schloss Belvedere Music School and the Franz Liszt Academy of Music. At the age of 24, he was appointed Associate Leader of the Philharmonia Orchestra in London. He regularly appears as a guest concertmaster with leading orchestras across the United Kingdom, Europe, and the United States, collaborating with distinguished conductors. As a recording artist, he has worked with Decca Records and Signum Records, and has also contributed to film and television music productions. In 2020, he received the Saxony-Anhalt State Prize for international artistic achievements.
photo: Eduardus Lee
Michiel Wittink
He works as a concert programmer at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, where he curates chamber music programmes and concert series dedicated to emerging talent. His work is shaped by an extensive international network spanning artist agencies, competitions, conservatoires, concert halls, and talent development initiatives. He is passionate about supporting young musicians at the start of their careers and presenting them in ways that foster a closer connection with audiences. He holds Master’s degrees in viola performance and clinical psychology, graduating with distinction from the Conservatorium van Amsterdam, the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, and the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Alongside his programming work, he remains a chamber musician and is a co-founder of the Felix Quartet.
Cathy Wilkinson
She is Deputy Director of Artistic Planning at the Elbphilharmonie and Laeiszhalle in Hamburg. She is responsible for programming concerts and festivals spanning chamber music, organ recitals, series supporting young artists, jazz, electronic music, and musical traditions from around the world. Born in England, she studied Modern and Medieval Languages at the University of Cambridge, and later completed postgraduate studies in flute performance at the Royal Northern College of Music. After several years working as a freelance musician and teacher, she joined the Laeiszhalle in 1998, and later became part of the team preparing the opening of the Elbphilharmonie in 2017.
Organiser
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