The soloist award is the largest prize in Sweden for young, classical musicians and is awarded by the Royal Musical Academy every other year, for example. After a long selection process with several hundred applicants, only three soloists remain: cellist Kristina Winiarski, pianist Pontus Carron and flute player Laura Michelin.

Everyone has been given a choice to perform before a jury during a final concert in Berwaldhallen on Friday night. The cultural news met them before the concert.

- I'm going to play Antonín Dvorak's cello concerto. It's absolutely amazing music that I love, ”says Kristina Winiarski.

As a soloist, she debuted professionally when she was 16 and has since collaborated with several symphony orchestras.

Way to become established as a professional musician

Pontus Carron has chosen Ludwig van Beethoven's fifth piano concerto. He is educated at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm and regularly performs at various chamber music festivals around the Nordic region.

Laura Michelin is also educated at the Royal College of Music in Stockholm but is currently studying in Munich. If she wins, she will be the first flutist to win the Soloist Prize. She will perform Carl Nielsen's flute concerto.

- I hope it's fun to listen to, it's at least fun to play. It happens very much in it, she says.

All three agree that the award is a way to become more established as a professional musician.

- It would mean that I got to travel to many new places and play with many new people, and that's what I want to do, says Laura Michelin.