Award-winning Lied duo
Singer Iuliana Ioana and pianist Artemiy Sokolovskiy succeed in Görlitz
Art song competitions are few and far between—making success all the more precious. Now, a Lied duo from Prof. Thomas Steinhöfel’s class in Weimar has achieved double success at the third “Bolko von Hochberg” Lied competition in Görlitz. Vocal student Iuliana Ioana (soprano) and piano student Artemiy Sokolovskiy won the Special Prize from the Museum of Romanticism in Dresden: a concert performance in 2027.
In addition, Artemiy Sokolovskiy (Russia/Israel) won the Prize for Best Lied Interpretation, worth 1,000 euros. “This is fantastic and the result of great teamwork between the Lied class and the major-subject colleagues Prof. Anne Schwanewilms and Prof. Michail Lifits,” says their supervising professor Thomas Steinhöfel. “What wonderful young artists, who have discovered the world of lieder for themselves at the beginning of a promising career.”
The competition in Görlitz (May 30 to June 4, 2026) featured a very strong field of competitors. Following a preliminary selection, 62 international Lied duos performed. Over the course of the competition, the Weimar duo sang songs by Franz Schubert, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Antonín Dvořák, Max Reger, Benjamin Britten, Maurice Ravel, Hugo Wolf, Johannes Brahms, and Tiberiu Brediceanu.
“I am very grateful for this experience, for our collaborative work, the concerts we were able to organize in preparation for the competition, and for the entire preparation process,” explains Soprano Iuliana Ioana, who hails from Romania. “The work and support from our professors were exceptional and involved many extra hours outside of regular class time. Nevertheless, the atmosphere was always light, positive, and full of joy.”
The singer emphasizes: “Our professors gave us the confidence and support necessary for us to develop and grow. I believe that our success is largely due to their dedication and commitment. With every performance, I gained more confidence, was able to allow myself to feel greater gratitude and presence, and simply enjoy the music.”
Further information: www.lied-competition-goerlitz.net