University Music Prize 2025

With this year's University Music Prize, the University of the Arts Bremen once again honours outstanding chamber music performances by its students. The 2025 prize was open to ensembles comprising three or more players or singers. The jury – Prof. Mechthild Karkow, Prof. Thomas Mohr and Prof. Martin Stadtfeld – selected the awardees in a multi-stage process.

On 7 July 2025, five ensembles took part in a public preliminary round – ranging from cello and wind quartets to the experimental EMP Ensemble. Following intensive deliberations, the jury selected three ensembles to advance to the final round on 8 July. In the concert hall, the Flute Quartet and the interdisciplinary EMP Ensemble ultimately stood out for their exceptional artistic achievements and were each awarded second prize in the 2025 University Music Prize.

On 13 July, both ensembles presented their programmes in a celebratory concert held in the concert hall of the HfK Bremen.

Second Prize | Flute Quartet
Pei-Chen Chao, Min-Hui Chan, Suyeon Joo, Fiona Paulini
Students of Professors Andreas Mäder and Mihaela Goldfeld

With their performance of Friedrich Kuhlau’s Grand Quartet in E minor, Op. 103, the quartet impressed the jury with “great enthusiasm, relaxed virtuosity, and a finely attuned sense of ensemble playing.” Their interpretation vividly brought to life the spirit of Romantic chamber music.

Second Prize | EMP Ensemble
Luna Burkert, Insa Meißner, Bärbel Hartrumpf, Delphine Giuliani, Mahoor Raeisi, Xinyue Feng, Yimeng Wang, Fred Palupski, Aaron Schröder, Benjamin Malcolm
From the classes of Prof. Dr Barbara Stiller and Johanna Schönbeck (Elementary Music Education), as well as other principal subject lecturers at the HfK

With their original production Stories, the EMP Ensemble delivered a distinctive, socially resonant and artistically compelling performance. The jury praised the way “elements of theatre, dance, musical, jazz, improvisation and acting were skilfully interwoven into an engaging and powerful presentation.”
Thematically, Stories explores pressing social issues such as bullying, love, fear, feminism and fascism. At its core are empathy, friendship, and the transformative power of music as a medium for expression and reflection.

Both ensembles exemplify the high artistic standards, stylistic breadth and social awareness fostered at the University of the Arts Bremen.
In his opening address, jury member Prof. Thomas Mohr commended the dedication of all participants and emphasised the vital role of teamwork, artistic courage, and a spirit of experimentation in collaborative music-making.