The Swiss soprano Chiara Skerath, 23, was born in Belgium and trained at the National Conservatory in Paris and the University of Music and Dramatic Arts with Claudia Visca. Baritone Derek Welton, born in Melbourne in 1982, studied at the University of Melbourne and received musical training at the Guildhall School in London.

The prize, since 2004 recognizing promising talent, is named in honor of the long-term director of the SWR Radio Orchestra of Kaiserslautern. The competition was held in the town of Landau with the German Radio Philharmonic of Saarbrücken Kaiserslautern conducted by Guillermo Garcia Calvo.