Mahler Competition 2026: Daily Blog 2 – The Semi-Finals Conclude
- Rebecca Franks
- Jul 3
- 4 min read
3 July 2026
3 mins read
After the three remaining semi-finalists took to the podium, the three finalists are announced...
The second semi-final in this year’s Mahler Competition gave us three more candidates whose approaches differed greatly. The evening opened with Jacobus de Jager, a 29-year-old South African with a neat baton technique and a personable manner who was, he told the orchestra, excited to be doing this ‘extreme’ piece. Schoenberg’s Five Pieces for Orchestra is certainly that, an atonal kaleidoscope of colours, textures, rhythm and counterpoint that’s challenging – and rewarding – for conductor, orchestra and audience.
De Jager began working on the detail of the first two movements, concentrating on ensemble and transitions, praising the orchestra as he went. Like Shira Samuels-Shragg in the first semi-final, he had a penchant for deploying a choice metaphor to underline his point. I’m not sure any conductor has ever equated Schoenberg with South African crocodiles before, but it was certainly an original way to convey his request for more ‘bite’. After an atonal workout, the brass, woodwind and percussion left the stage once again, as they had for every conductor’s slot, so just the strings and harp remained for Mahler’s Adagietto from the Fifth Symphony. De Jager found less of a sense of line in this movement than I’d have liked, but the emotional heart was always there.
Where De Jager encouraged a rawer, fuller string sound from the Bambergers in the Mahler, Mauro Mariani encouraged a compellingly luminous quality. His Adagietto was beautifully done, although once it was over, he didn’t rehearse any corners or offer any comment. With a good few minutes left until the end of his slot, that felt like a missed opportunity, and one that seemed to take both orchestra and audience by surprise. Still, the 32-year-old Italian has a real feeling for the poetry of music, and we heard him searching for the ‘human’ essence of the Schoenberg, as he rehearsed the fourth and fifth movements. His conducting style is elegant and eloquent; I’d like to hear him in the opera house.
Simon Clausse, 25, from France was the final candidate, and the only one not to use a baton at all. (Others used one for the Schoenberg, even if everyone favoured sculpting the sound with hands alone for the Adagietto.) Clausse was a serious presence on stage and brought a definite viewpoint to both composers, leaving an impression well after the evening ended. I was particularly struck by the dark hues he drew out from the orchestral sound, more through gesture than anything he said. He added a welcome depth to the Schoenberg and, particularly, the Mahler, which became even more poignant in his hands: light and dark, love and death sitting alongside each other.
With the semi-finals wrapped up, it was time for the jury to deliberate – and, of course, for the audience to consider its own favourites. (There is an audience prize, which can be awarded to any of the 24 candidates from throughout the competition.) Just one small hitch with the judging process: Deborah Borda, President Emerita of the New York Philharmonic, had been indisposed for health reasons, leaving just 12 jurors, and a possible stalemate when it came to votes.
Getting into the mindset of the judges – including conductors Thomas Adés, John Carewe, Sian Edwards, Pablo Heras-Casado, John Storgårds and, jury president, Jakub Hrůša, this year – is a fun game. They are an unobtrusive presence in the hall, sitting not together, but alone, dotted around the auditorium, listening and watching from every angle. Their criteria are not shared with the public, at least at this stage, but of course it’s clear they’re looking for somebody ready for the challenges of an international career. And perhaps, too, that intangible alchemy between a conductor and an orchestra that can be hard to put into words, but evident when it materialises in the concert hall.
For my money, Jakub Przybycień felt like an obvious choice to go through to the finals, thanks to his ease and focus on the podium. I was also inspired by Shira Samuels-Shragg’s livewire energy, while Simon Claussé’s approach left me curious to hear more. Elsewhere, potential and professionalism aplenty was on display – but are all the candidates yet ready for the next chapter in their careers?
Later that evening, the results were released – without, it seems, any deadlock or indecision. From 24 candidates – 19 men and five women – just three remain. The finalists for this year’s Mahler Competition are Jakub Przybycień, Sieva Borzak and Simon Claussé. Over the next two days, the public will have a chance to get to know these three conductors better, during open rehearsals with the Bamberg Symphony of movements from Adès’s Powder Her Face, Suite No. 1; Bartók’s Dance Suite and Mahler’s Fifth Symphony, before a final concert on Friday evening, and the announcement of this year’s winner.
Gramophone is a Media Partner of The Mahler Competition. You can follow the competition by watching the livestream at themahlercompetition.com - and visit gramophone.co.uk each day for further coverage.
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