Queen Fabiola Competition


The Queen Fabiola Competition is an international music competition for carillon. It was established in 1987 by the Royal Carillon School "Jef Denyn" to supersede the smaller annual competitions held in Belgium. Named after Queen Fabiola of Belgium, the competition's original patron, it was modeled after the Queen [Elizabeth Competition]. Its establishment was supported by the Flemish Government, Antwerp Province, and the city of Mechelen.
The competition involves learning several pieces of carillon music across three musical styles: baroque, romantic, and contemporary. It is extended over several days, with each contestant playing twice. A panel of judges award five prizes.
Considered the equivalent of top global competitions for piano, it has been described as the most important carillon competition in the world and the "Olympics of the carillon"

Laurates

Australia
Belgium
Canada
Denmark
France
Japan
Netherlands
Poland
Portugal
Ukraine
United States

Year1st prize2nd prize3rd prize4th prize5th prize6th prize
2024Joseph Min Annie Gao Anne Lu Claire Janezic Oleksandra Makarova
2019Alex Johnson Jasper Depraetere Margaret Pan Keiran Cantilina Peter Bray
2014Joey Brink Brian Tang Thomas Laue Rien Donkersloot Philippe Beullens
2008Kenneth Theunissen Toru Takao Malgosia Fiebig Jonathan Lehrer Monika Kaźmierczak
2003 Ana Elias Liesbeth Janssens Charles Dairay Henk Veldman
1998Tom Van Peer Liesbeth Janssens Ann-Kirstine Christiansen Stefano Colletti Frans Haagen Sergej Gratchev
1993 Koen Van Assche Bob van Wely Ann-Kirstine Christiansen Kenneth Theunissen Hylke Banning
1990 Brian Swager Gildas Delaporte Abel Chaves Peter Bremer
1987 John Gouwens Koen Van Assche Eddy Mariën Bob van Wely