The NOVO Quartet from Denmark has won the Won 1st prize in the Competition of Irene Steels-Wilsing Foundation. The 12,000 euro prize includes an engagement at the Heidelberger Frühling Streichquartettfest 2024. The 2nd prize of 6,000 euros went to the Chaos String Quartet, 3rd prize of 4,000 euros to the Malion Quartet, both from Germany. The audience prize of 1,000 euros donated by the Freundeskreis of Heidelberger Frühling e.V. was also won by the NOVO Quartet.

The Competition of Irene Steels-Wilsing Foundation was held for the sixth time. A total of seven ensembles had competed in front of an audience in the Alte Pädagogische Hochchule in Heidelberg. They were selected from 21 applications. Following the musical performance, the young musicians introduced themselves in a conversation that focused on their artistic drive, visions and goals.

The jury included music journalist Eleonore Büning, Amaryllis Quartet cellist Yves Sandoz, Aris Quartet violinist Noémi Zipperling, as well as Annett Baumeister, programme director of Heidelberger Frühling, and Irene Schwalb, violist and artistic advisor for the Streichquartettfest.