The world's leading competition for young violinists. 2012 the first time in China and 2014 in the USA<a name="a1824"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>Beijing Diary - Day 3 - April 8</h1> <p>The day is warmer, and another 500-strong crowd has jammed themselves into a slightly cosier concert hall. This is unprecedented for China's international competitions; even in final rounds, my bags, jacket, and coffee cup always have their own seats. This competition has caused the kind of sensation that was routine around thirty years ago, when any foreign musician giving a master class could pack a room to hazardous levels. Over the years, conservatories are used to an A-list roster of visitors, and the thrill has ebbed, but with Menuhin it's back, and it's no wonder. I have to keep reminding myself this is the first round; that players eliminated today might be going home with medals elsewhere. This is no reflection on China; the country is new to international competitions -- and, for that matter, to classical music -- and while they house juries in luxury hotels and hold concerts in gleaming, state-of-the-art venues, they focus less on international advertising, press relations and advance planning, which, given theatre politics is harder than you might think. All these factors limit the applicant pool. By contrast, Menuhin this year had a record 238 hopefuls, so it's no wonder they could skim cream off the top. Times are changing and improving, but for now, given audience size and quality of competitors, Menuhin is the stuff of legend.</p> <p>One benefit of having an audience of conservatory students, teachers and parents as opposed to mid-level government workers with free tickets is the sense off quiet. Here, this cell phones and general chatter are for the most part silent, and the excellent Menuhin volunteers are vigilant at policing the plastic bag white noise, which is to China concerts what cellophane candy wrappers are to ones in the US. But this has a cultural context; ancient values dictate that truly wise people should not be distracted by external sounds. Former leader Mao Zedong reportedly had such great concentration he could read in a marketplace. Another story tells of two scholars taking the imperial examination; upon hearing a loud noise, one looked up -- and the other one passed the test. At your next Chinese concert, try whipping your head around to glare at the loquacious pair behind you, most likely -- and there are extreme exceptions to this --they will be genuinely surprised and apologetic. After all, no one else has noticed anything. This is also why Beijingers can ride their bicycles on choked highways or wander through cacophonous electronics markets with the same Zen expression they would have cycling down a country road or tripping through a dewy meadow. Choreographer Akram Khan calls it &quot;chaos on the outside, stillness on the inside&quot; and it's a trait we would all do well to evolve.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>Senior competitor Gabriel Ng's first few notes exude a mournful sensitivity that is a fresh breeze in a stuffy room, the first breath of spring after a long winter. More importantly, he makes you straighten up, exhale and forget how long you've been sitting in one spot. Hailing from Singapore, Ng currently studies at Menuhin School and has racked up a couple of awards. Although shy about acknowledging applause -- would that more teachers spent some time on bows, entrances and exits -- he projects the kind of warmth and passion that makes you feel you found a treasure you weren't looking for. To my right, a young woman sits in rapt attention. I notice her initially because her blue cardigan sports a patch reading: &quot;Fear Thou Not, For I Am With Thee,&quot; which I assume is a Bible verse but Google later to be sure (Isaiah 41:10). &quot;I didn't know what it meant, I just liked the colour,&quot; she tells me later. &quot;And it's woolen, so it's warm.&quot;</p> <p><i>Meet the competitor:</i></p> <p><i>Her name is Jackie Tso, and although she speaks Chinese to her family, she hails from Cincinnati, Ohio. &quot;My mother was a violin teacher, and even when I was two, I loved to play, so I started with the Suzuki method.&quot; Jackie has an intelligent face and a confidence that belies her fifteen years, plus, she answers questions as if she's been giving interviews all her life. Menuhin is her first international competition, and she is pleasantly surprised. &quot;I thought it would be more competitive,&quot; she says. &quot;But it's really more like a festival, like the lady said,&quot; she adds, referring to Jury Chairman Pamela Frank's welcome speech from the opening. Another bonus was the state of the city. Jackie's parents come from Hong Kong (father) and Nanjing (mother), but she visited Beijing a few years ago with the Great Wall Summer Academy. &quot;Beijing seems a lot cleaner now,&quot; she says. But Jackie's most noticeable trait is the mint-green, hard plastic violin case she wears on her back. &quot;It's good for travel, I travel a lot,&quot; she explains. &quot;And the other colours were like, red and black. This was bright but not too heavy.&quot; Best of luck Jackie!</i></p> <p> _____________________________________________________________</p><div id="b288fb4c-ca38-42da-b1b3-5475ab214fba" class="weblog-outer"></div> <script type="text/javascript"> var wl_b288fb4c_ca38_42da_b1b3_5475ab214fba = new ZetaOnlineModuleLib.Weblog('b288fb4c-ca38-42da-b1b3-5475ab214fba'); wl_b288fb4c_ca38_42da_b1b3_5475ab214fba.initialize(); </script> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1824">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1824http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1824Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:53:25 +01002012-04-20T14:53:25<a name="a1821"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>Beijing Diary - Day 9 - April 14</h1> <p>Like so many other things about Menuhin, the Senior Final Round did not feel like a competition. For one thing, there was the venue. Beijing Concert Hall is warm, cosy and acoustically superior to everywhere else in the city – there’s science to back that up. As a bonus, it’s also the only theatre in the area where you can legally hail a taxi after the subway shuts down. To those goin<a name="_GoBack"></a>g to the National Centre of Performing Arts Gala Concert tomorrow, make sure to catch the last train – &nbsp;or wear comfortable shoes.</p> <p>Another difference between this and other competitions was the audience. Yes, they still streamed in late and were hissing at patrons who had stolen their seats even as the performance began. But for each performer they yelled, whooped and shouted with wild, hysterical abandon. With the countless hours spent in practice rooms, what can be more thrilling for talented youth – or for that matter, the rest of us – than to travel to a foreign country, play with a foreign orchestra, and bring down a foreign house?</p> <p>Maybe winning the gold medal – and this, like yesterday’s Junior Finals Round, was a close race. Closer still because competitors had vastly different styles, forcing the jury to decide based not on talent but on taste. Guo Siyan opened with a powerful, violent Tchaikovsky, while Alexi Kenney’s Sibelius was as fine as filigree. Ji Eun Anna Lee’s thrilling Shostakovich No. 1 careened between highs and lows, between agony and ecstasy – much like Shostakovich himself, except maybe the ecstasy part. Finally, Kenneth Arthur Renshaw offered a bigger, bolder Sibelius, illustrating perfectly what two true artists can do with the same piece. But all this is burying the lead. We must not let their stratospheric level blind us to the fact that they are still students. These four – and indeed, all the semi-finalists &nbsp;– have done what most adults in the world could never imagine, and they can’t even go out for a drink to celebrate. Oh, the inhumanity! To envision what they will someday accomplish is staggering, mystifying and most of all humbling. As is her wont, Pamela Frank said it best: “The future is safe in your hands.” For those of you about to play, we salute you.</p> <p><b>Meet the Competitor: Zhu Ke</b></p> <p><b>How did you start playing violin?<br /></b>I was four years old and my grandfather wanted me to play – he loved the violin. But no one in my family thought I could be professional, they just wanted me to have a hobby. I still don’t know if I can be a professional in the future, but I’ve been studying seriously since I was ten years old. That’s when I came to Beijing from Hubei Province, to study with Tong Weidong.</p> <p><b>What do you think of the Menuhin Competition?<br /></b>There are so many pieces to choose from, the first and second round, slow piece, new piece, with piano, with guitar, it’s really exciting. In 2004 I did the Junior Competition in Cardiff, at that time I played in a string trio and also played the Vivaldi with no conductor, it was so much fun. I really enjoy the competition. Also Menuhin is a very famous violinist, I admire him.</p> <p><b>What</b><b>’</b><b>s your favourite food?<br /></b>Sichuan food, anything spicy. Also spaghetti.</p> <p><b>Besides classical music, what</b><b>’</b><b>s on your Ipod?<br /></b>I like jazz. And also the tango, but I never played it before. This was a great chance to play the tango. It was hard, but I liked it.</p> <p><b>Do you have a guilty pleasure?<br /></b>Maybe not.</p> <p><b>What do you do when you</b><b>’</b><b>re not practicing?<br /></b>I like playing soccer and watching basketball, but I never played. I like the NBA. I like sports.</p> <p><i>As of Tuesday 11, Zhu Ke did not make it into the final round, but we know we will be hearing from him again. Best of luck Ke!</i></p> <p><b>How I Practice: Joji Hattori<br /></b>Human beings are incredible animals of habit. If you’re learning a new language and pronouncing a word wrong three or four times, you'll keep mispronouncing the word for the rest of your life. And most people when they practice, they make the mistake of playing a piece they can't play well yet. Instead of playing, you should think about where the problems are; if you&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; miss one shift or one intonation two or three times, you'll do it wrong forever. After one mistake, you have to change something you do – do the shift so slow so you can't possibly miss it. It might take you ten seconds, but take ten seconds and get it right. Then you can do it with eight, get it right, then six, and so on. Never play a note out of tune when you practice; with that kind of control, you can be efficient. The best test is if you’re practicing for an hour, you should be able to hear sound for at most 15 minutes. You should spend 45 minutes thinking, reflecting and finding problems. If you can hear sound for 50 or 55 minutes, that’s too much; its 100 per cent sure it's bad practicing.</p> <p> _____________________________________________________________</p><div id="e260aa14-5036-43ba-b6db-b6c2e8d4d24b" class="weblog-outer"></div> <script type="text/javascript"> var wl_e260aa14_5036_43ba_b6db_b6c2e8d4d24b = new ZetaOnlineModuleLib.Weblog('e260aa14-5036-43ba-b6db-b6c2e8d4d24b'); wl_e260aa14_5036_43ba_b6db_b6c2e8d4d24b.initialize(); </script> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1821">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1821http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1821Tue, 17 Apr 2012 06:57:40 +01002012-04-17T05:57:40<a name="a1820"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>Beijing Diary - Day 8 - April 13</h1> <p>Watching competitions in China is usually easy. There’s a great player, a few good players and some technically-proficient-but-artistically-weak players – and these are the finals. This year’s Menuhin Junior Final Round is a competition parallel universe. Imagine nit-picking about the dynamics, vibrato and interpretation of eight 11 to 15-year olds, while reminding yourself that these teens/tweens could have scooped gold in any adult competition you had ever seen. At their stratospheric level you judge them not as children – and some of them are still children – but as seasoned professionals; even more exciting, you saw eight individual styles and eight accomplished performers. And while you struggle to remember and/or try to forget what you were doing at the same age, you can sit back to watch the future of classical music.&nbsp;</p> <p>The professional standards even extended to mid-concert wardrobe changes. Alina Ming Kobialka shed her red gown for royal blue, Yehun Jin changed his dress shirt from black to white, and Kevin Zhu transformed his now trademark satin shirt with matching tie into an extra-small tuxedo with tails. But of great benefit was the inspired repertoire; contrasting a virtuosic piece with a Vivaldi concerto and an original commission gave each player a chance to show their individuality. While some unleashed their sound and fury on their Waxmans, Sarasates and Wieniawskis, others showed different strengths.</p> <p>As for the commission piece <i>Entranced With Mountain Scenery</i>, competitors had vastly different interpretations. Grace Clifford brought out its haunting, atmospheric quality, taking us all away from the concert hall to a higher place. Kobialka and Soo-Been Lee added the Chinese accents – and only Lee reached the frenetic pace imagined by 19-year old (!) composer Li Shangqian. Ah youth!</p> <p>Like every other Menuhin event, the house was packed and reasonably quiet – although the difficulty of setting phones to silent or speaking in whispers will forever remain a mystery. This was an enthusiastic crowd, nevertheless the audience had their favourites – Yehun Jin, Kevin Zhu and Soo-Been Lee all received shrieking, thunderous applause before bow even hit string. Lee even took a hotly-demanded second bow, and I wondered about audience reaction should she not win, but the hordes were equally happy with first-place winner Zhu. Once on stage, the five prize-winners were so small they could pose for pictures in front of the jury and not block anyone.</p> <p>Frank spoke at length about the group’s incredible talent – for any age – and said again how the jury’s job was at once thrilling and agonising. As for the musicians, music lovers and/or music writers in the audience, we are in awe of you, all eight of you. Among the jury comments there was one common theme: the future is in excellent – if small – hands. Those who lament the collapse of classical music standards, or worry that their beloved art form is disappearing should have been at Menuhin’s Junior Final Round. We clearly have nothing to fear – and we thank you.</p> <p><b>Meet the Competitor: Seven Questions for Zenas Hsu</b></p> <p><b>How did you start playing violin?<br /></b>When I was five, my seven-year old sister started playing piano. My father took one look at my hands and decided they were too small, so he gave me a violin instead. I had a hard time at first, I didn’t like practicing, but I loved listening. I think I grew into it in middle school, when I started studying with Wei He. It got really inspiring and I started loving what I was doing.</p> <p><b>What do you think of the Menuhin Competition?<br /></b>It's really amazing to meet so many different people from so many different places, and hearing, for example the commission piece, played so differently. &nbsp;People put their hearts into it in different ways.</p> <p><b>What do you think of China?<br /></b>I came for the 2011 Qingdao Competition, and it’s interesting to come back. I’m not very good at Chinese, but it’s interesting to see how incorporated I am with my Asian American background, and also to see how different it is from California.</p> <p><b>When you</b><b>’</b><b>re not practicing, what are you doing?<br /></b>I like reading, photography, and just walking around. I used to go to the library and pick a random book from any sort of genre, and just read.</p> <p><b>What</b><b>’</b><b>s your favourite food?<br /></b>With my background from Taiwan, I love anything from Taiwan. And being from California, I really love fruit.</p> <p><b>Besides classical music, what</b><b>’</b><b>s on your Ipod?<br /></b>Just classical music, I grew up with it. I do have interest in other genres, but I didn't grow up with them. But I do like jazz, I have some friends who are teaching me about it.</p> <p><b>What</b><b>’</b><b>s your guilty pleasure?<br /></b>This might be culturally dependent, but I drink a lot of milk. I feel weird about it, because it’s usually associated with children, and Asians don't usually drink milk a lot. But I love milk, especially really cold milk.</p> <p><i>As of Tuesday 11, Zenas Hsu did not pass into the semi-final round, but we feel confident we will see/hear him again. Best of luck Zenas!</i></p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>How I practice:</b> <b>Hu Kun<br /></b>Practice very slowly, as slow as possible, and as detailed as possible. Then move up to medium speed. By the end of the day, go fast; <a name="_GoBack"></a>the next day go slow again. When you work you have to think about everything, not just time, music, technique, or style, but everything together. You can’t manage with a single brain; you need multiple brains.</p> <p> _____________________________________________________________</p><div id="e260aa14-5036-43ba-b6db-b6c2e8d4d24b" class="weblog-outer"></div> <script type="text/javascript"> var wl_e260aa14_5036_43ba_b6db_b6c2e8d4d24b = new ZetaOnlineModuleLib.Weblog('e260aa14-5036-43ba-b6db-b6c2e8d4d24b'); wl_e260aa14_5036_43ba_b6db_b6c2e8d4d24b.initialize(); </script> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1820">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1820http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1820Sun, 15 Apr 2012 12:42:42 +01002012-04-15T11:42:42<a name="a1819"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>12 April - The Junior Prize winners are...</h1> <div style="position:relative;float:left;margin:0 15px 5px 0;padding:0;width:300px"> <img style="display:block" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/Junior-Winners.jpg" width="300" height="200" alt="" title="" /> <span class="bildunterschrift">Junior Prize Winners 2012</span> </div><p>What an evening! The Middle School of CCoM was stormed by eager audiences and our eight Junior Finalists played to a completely full house.&nbsp;Yan Pascal Tortelier commented:&nbsp;&quot;<em>to see the talent, the ability and&nbsp;the possibilities which they have already reached at their age -&nbsp;as a violinist - &nbsp;it is simply amazing</em>.&quot; Today's performances definitely had &quot;the Goosebump Factor&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp;and after a short deliberation the jury announced the Junior prize winners:</p> <p>1st Prize - Kevin Zhu (USA), 11 years<br /> 2nd Prize - Soo-Been Lee (Korea), 11 years<br /> 3rd Prize - Taiga Tojo (Japan), 14 years<br /> 4th Prize - Grace Clifford (Australia), 13 years<br /> 5th Prize - Yehun Jin (Korea), 12 years</p> <p>The first prize winner will perform on Sunday 15 at the Closing Gala Concert at the NCPA.</p> <p>VODs of the Junior-Finals will be <a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/competitors-2012.html" rel="">available as video on demand</a> through the individual competitor profiles on our website the day after the finals.</p> <p> _________________________________________________________________________</p> </div><br class="clearx" /> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1819">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1819http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1819Sun, 15 Apr 2012 07:31:17 +01002012-04-15T06:31:17<a name="a1818"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>Beijing Diary - Day 7 - April 12</h1> <p>Thursday evening’s jury concert was drawing thunderous applause from a sold out crowd at Beijing Concert Hall. Rumour has it that the jurors were so impressed by the junior round they put in extra practice for tonight; true or not, they couldn’t have asked for a better audience. The competitors that didn’t make it to the concert missed out on Joji Hattori’s expressive face and tonal finesse in Mozart’s Concerto No. 4 or Olivier Charlier’s dynamic sensitivity and orchestral interplay during his Saint-Saens’ Concerto No. 3. It would have been a dramatic illustration of their master class instruction. As for Henning Kraggerud, his Mach 7 Tchaikovsky drove the crowd into a frenzy, prompting an encore of a low-key Norwegian folk song.</p> <p>Speaking of crowds, the master class attendance ranged from standing-room to suffocating, making it difficult to hop from one to another – since seats were currency. Dong-Suk Kang started with an 11-year old in a black frilly mini-skirt and a ponytail she could sit on. “It’s never too early to think about the composer,” he said about Mendelssohn. “What do you know about him?” It turns out, not much. Kang explained that as a classical romantic, he kept a steady and usually fast tempo. “You always have to hear the pulse, even during a rubato, keep it in mind”, then added, “but keep the character.” The next player worked on Wienawski, and Kang repeated what was to become a common theme. “You should know more about the music, what is important about the character of the piece?” he asked. “Where is the melody? Emphasise the melody more, sustain it, free it, then it won’t sound like practicing.” As for Menuhin Competitor Colleen Cecila Venables’s own Wienawski? “You played so beautifully in the competition, but when you play something so often it sounds like habit,” he said. “You should always have clearly in your mind what you want to play before you start.”</p> <p>Pamela Frank is the kind of teacher most Chinese have heard tell of, but were never sure actually existed – funny, warm, generous, energetic, wreathed in smiles and most importantly, lavish in her praise. Students were blushing with pleasure as Frank cried out “Wonderful!” “Beautiful!” or “I love you!” as she danced circles around them. Here are some of the day’s best Frankisms:</p> <p><i>Rhythm is never equal</i> <i>–</i> <i>if it</i><i>’</i><i>s in three, it</i><i>’</i><i>s not equal. You should dance more.</i></p> <p><i>The composer has limited number of dynamics, but that doesn</i><i>’</i><i>t mean it</i><i>’</i><i>s only forte or it</i><i>’</i><i>s only piano. It</i><i>’</i><i>s about character, not volume.</i></p> <p><i>You have</i> <i>“</i><i>downbowitis</i><i>”</i> <i>or disease of the downbeat. You also have fast note disease. Play slower, and make music out of the fast notes.</i></p> <p><i>Really good rhythm is placed rhythm, play as late as possible without actually being late.</i></p> <p><i>W</i><i>hen you play a piece that is directly quoted from another piece, you have to go to the other piece. This is about love. Can you play this like love and not like sex?</i></p> <p><i>Bach was numerologist, look for sequence patterns. Practice away from the instrument, and leave the vibrato at home. Historically, they used vibrato to emphasise something, not like today where it</i><i>’</i><i>s a bad habit. If the note is less important, don't use it.</i></p> <p><b><img style="padding-bottom: 3px; padding-left: 6px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 3px" title="" border="0" alt="" align="right" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/IMG_5454_Alexi-Kenney_web.jpg" />Meet the Competitor: Six Questions for Alexi Kenney<br /></b>When Alex Kenney was two, he dreamed of playing the triangle or tambourine. Upon seeing his fascination with music, his mother decided to get him a real instrument. “When I was four, we saw someone on the street with a violin case,” he says. “We followed that case to my future teacher.”</p> <p><b>What do you do when you</b><b>’</b><b>re not practicing?<br /></b>I did ceramics and painting when I was in high school. Once a year, Palo Alto has an Italian Street Painting Expo, and a friend and I recreate a masterpiece in chalk on the sidewalk.</p> <p><b>Favourite food?<br /></b>I was so happy I got into the Menuhin Competition -- my biggest reason for coming to China was the food. My favourite is Sichuan food but I also like dumplings.</p> <p><b>What do you like about China?<br /></b>It’s been fascinating to see so much, I didn't expect this scale of development.&nbsp; Everything is so huge, but then you randomly stumble upon this little lane in the middle of these government buildings. And then you have this kind of architecture (at CCOM) it's this amazing juxtaposition of styles.</p> <p><b>What do you like about the Menuhin Competition?<br /></b>I’ve never done an international competition before, so unlike other people, I have no idea what competitions are like, but my perception is that it's quite friendly. &nbsp;A lot of people are practicing, but I’m going out and eating and enjoying the sights.</p> <p><b>Besides classical music, what</b><b>’</b><b>s on your Ipod?<br /></b>My mom will tell you that I don't listen to anything else, but I do like jazz, like Ella Fitzgerald.</p> <p><b>Do you have a guilty pleasure?<br /></b>No, I'm a very innocent person</p> <p><b>How I Practice: Olivier Charlier<br /></b>Practice not only your fingers but your musical sense and the way you listen, if you imagine the phrase before you play it, it will be much more interesting. I see many players where the first contact they have with the music is when they play it. You should think about it first, before you even pick up the bow.. That would be the best advice. When you play, don’t only play but listen. Think about being in the audience, not on stage all the time.</p> <p> _____________________________________________________________</p><div id="e260aa14-5036-43ba-b6db-b6c2e8d4d24b" class="weblog-outer"></div> <script type="text/javascript"> var wl_e260aa14_5036_43ba_b6db_b6c2e8d4d24b = new ZetaOnlineModuleLib.Weblog('e260aa14-5036-43ba-b6db-b6c2e8d4d24b'); wl_e260aa14_5036_43ba_b6db_b6c2e8d4d24b.initialize(); </script> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1818">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1818http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1818Sat, 14 Apr 2012 11:23:05 +01002012-04-14T10:23:05<a name="a1817"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>11 April - Senior-Finalists announced</h1> <div style="position:relative;float:right;margin:0 0 5px 15px;padding:0;width:269px"> <img style="display:block" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/Senior-Finalists_web_2.jpg" width="269" height="137" alt="" title="" /> <span class="bildunterschrift">Senior Finalists with jury panel and Gordon Back</span> </div><p>Following an extraordinary day when audiences had to be turned away from the overcrowded concert hall of the Central Conservatory, the jury selected four exceptional young violinists to go forward to the Menuhin Competition’s Senior Finals, be held on Saturday 14 April on the big stage of the completely sold out Beijing Concert Hall. They are (and will be playing the following in the Finals) …</p> <p>Siyan Guo (China) 20 years - Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto in D minor<br /> Alexi Kenney (USA) 18 years - Sibelius violin concerto in D minor<br /> Ji Eun Anna Lee (Korea) 16 years - play Shostakovich violin concerto No 1 in A minor<br /> Kenneth Arthur Renshaw (USA) 18 years - Sibelius violin concerto in D minor</p> <p>Jury Chair Pamela Frank says that all the players were incredibly compelling. &quot;It was more like being in a concert hall,&quot; she says. &quot;I forgot I was in a competition. The most important thing is that you are not defined by your results,&quot; she continues.&nbsp; I would buy a ticket to any of your concerts. Keep doing what you're doing, keep making beautiful music.&quot; As for the rest of the jury, Joji Hattori remembered his own Menuhin experience. &quot;You know I won this competition, senior round, in 1989,&quot; he says. &quot;And I don't think I would have won if I these nine people played. That's how impressed I was with the standard of the Semi-Finalists. Of course there were others who could have been in the finals,&quot; he continues. &quot;Unfortunately we can only choose four.&quot;</p> <p>The Senior-Finals will be <a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/web-stream.html">web-streamed live and are afterwards available as video on demand</a> for audiences in different timezones.</p> <p> _________________________________________________________________________</p> </div><br class="clearx" /> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1817">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1817http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1817Fri, 13 Apr 2012 23:26:58 +01002012-04-13T22:26:58<a name="a1816"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>Beijing Diary - Day 6 - April 11</h1> <p>One of the more unusual aspects of Menuhin is that competitors who don't go through to the next round still get their own concert. Most of the senior candidates chose to take a much-needed break, attend lectures and do some Beijing sightseeing rather than prepare for a recital, but the junior lunchtime concert was an event. While the programme described the concert as “competitors not going through to the next round share their love of violin by playing favourite pieces from their competition repertoire.” In fact, most chose their own pieces, and a few even teamed up together for duets. Of particular note was Jackie Tso and Ayana Tsuji, the two seemed to play with one breath, giving their piece a life of its own. Tso is a wonderfully communicative musician and has a great future as a chamber player if she chooses not to go the soloist route. And she wasn't the only one; even more surprising was Ziqing Guo, playing with Leonard Fu. In China, chamber music is underemphasised -- sometimes even discouraged -- and most students have never learned the kind of musical cooperation that seems to come naturally to Guo. Overall it was an afternoon of happy students enjoying their instrument in front of a packed and appreciative audience. Who could ask for a better lunch hour?</p> <p>The senior semi final round was less like a competition and more like an extended concert. It was easy to imagine these candidates holding their own concert tours, and after you peruse their impressive bios, it’s even easier. Ji Eun Anna Lee held it together even as a crying toddler was spirited away by mortified mother. Her Piazzolla Café &amp; Nightclub wept, it soared, it got down and dirty. Lee and Zenas Hsu both played their Piazzollas as if they were regulars at a smoky Argentine tango club. Joining outstanding guitar accompanist Chen Chuan, they defined that elusive &quot;musical conversation&quot; teachers are always talking about, but that students have so much trouble understanding. And kudos to Menuhin for the Piazzolla option, the guitar was a refreshing change. After all, audiences need variety too. The thirty-minute programme took a remarkable journey, from chamber music (Beethoven, Schumann) to the aforementioned tango (Piazzolla), from violin virtuosity (Ysae, Ravel) to uber-contemporary – namely, a striking Menuhin special commission by CCOM university student Tian Jinglun. This broad diversity allowed competitors such as Kenneth Arthur Renshaw to show off his astounding range, and let the jury know just what these nine finalists would be capable of on the concert circuit. And it made it a lot more fun for the rest of us. Best of luck to the four finalists!</p> <p><b>Meet the Competitor: Ariel Horowitz<br /></b><img style="padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 4px; padding-top: 4px" title="" border="0" alt="" align="left" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/DSC01004.jpg" />Vivacious 15-year old Ariel Horowitz remembers hearing a sonata on Baby Mozart (see naysayers, it does work!) &quot;I ran to my mother and said &quot;Mommy, Mommy, what's that?&quot; she recalls. “She said it was a violin, and I said, ‘I want that.’” Ariel started playing at age four and has no plans on stopping. &quot;As soon as I was old enough to know what a career was, I knew I wanted to be a violinist,&quot; she says. &quot;I'm pretty self-motivated, so my parents never have to tell me to practice,&quot; she continues. &quot;But they sometimes have to tell me to stop.&quot;</p> <p><b>Six questions for Ariel:<br /></b>Besides violin, what do you like to do?<br /> <em>I write short stories, poems and novels, mostly historical fiction. I'm writing a lot since I've been here, because I don't want to over-practice. I've published a few things, but it's mainly just for myself, another creative outlet. I also knit.</em></p> <p>What do you like about China?<br /> <em>Everything, the culture, the people. Last night my family and I went to a great duck restaurant. And I can't believe how warm and welcoming everyone is.</em></p> <p>What's your favourite food?<br /> <em>Chocolate ice cream</em></p> <p>Besides classical music, what's on your Ipod?<br /> <em>Everyone from the Beatles, to Beyonce to Bowling for Soup, they're an indie rock band. It's kind of a strange name.</em></p> <p>What do you think of the Menuhin Competition?<br /> <em>It’s the best competition I have ever been too, it honestly doesn't even feel like a competition. I've made so many friends, fast friends, it just feels like were all getting together to play music. There are so many people against youth competitions, saying it's not healthy for young people to compete, but I don't feel that way here.</em></p> <p>What's your guilty pleasure?<br /> <em>I talk to myself! I have whole conversations with myself, and I do things to try to make myself laugh. I'm a real joker.</em></p> <p>As of Tuesday, Ariel did not pass on to the second round, but the general level was so high we are confident we'll be seeing her again. Best of luck Ariel!</p> <p><b>How I Practice: Dong-Suk Kang<br /></b><em>I don't spend that many hours practicing, so I try to make it as efficient as possible. I try to use my brain. If I had a secret, I would be very happy. But even though I don't spend that much time practicing, I do spend a lot of time thinking about the music. You can solve a lot of things without actually touching the violin; when you touch the violin, it's to solve technical problems. The musical ideas should be already in your head. So sometimes in the middle of the night, I think about phrases. When I start, I don't practice passages, it's like trying to find your way in a strange city; I start with the big picture first. Otherwise you have no perspective. Until you get to know the piece better, it doesn't matter if it's not in tune or the sound is not right, you have to have the big picture. After that you can get down to details.</em></p> <p> _____________________________________________________________</p><div id="e260aa14-5036-43ba-b6db-b6c2e8d4d24b" class="weblog-outer"></div> <script type="text/javascript"> var wl_e260aa14_5036_43ba_b6db_b6c2e8d4d24b = new ZetaOnlineModuleLib.Weblog('e260aa14-5036-43ba-b6db-b6c2e8d4d24b'); wl_e260aa14_5036_43ba_b6db_b6c2e8d4d24b.initialize(); </script> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1816">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1816http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1816Fri, 13 Apr 2012 06:53:51 +01002012-04-13T05:53:51<a name="a1815"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>Beijing Diary - Day 10 - April 15</h1> <p>Menuhin’s farewell to Beijing began with an awards ceremony in the National Centre of the Performing Arts (NCPA), a classy, intimate event that was a welcome change from the usual fare. Most Chinese competitions have a detached supporting cast; “organisers” often include ministers of fishing, mining, commerce and other municipal notables making their first appearance at the event. Awards ceremonies are set on big stages with banks of flowers and thundering microphones, as be-spectacled bureaucrats enter to the booming score of <i>The Magnificent Seven</i> or other dramatic music<i>.</i> &nbsp;By contrast, this was a family affair. Held in the NCPA press room in the presence of the American ambassador to Beijing, invited guests were the remaining jurors and competitors, as well as Menuhin Trustees and various competition VIPs – in short, those who had been cheering along at all the events. This was less an awards ceremony than a family reunion, and the following reception was series of emotional – but hopefully temporary -- good-byes.</p> <p>But not before the evening’s gala concert that showcased the winners and other favourite players. In performing the first movement of Sibelius’ “Violin Concerto”, the usually reticent jury member Dong Suk-Kang revealed an entirely different persona – mild-mannered professor by day, explosive, mesmerising musician by night. Eleven-year old Junior Winner Kevin Zhu is the youngest in the competition’s history. He played a dynamic Vivaldi’s “Winter”, conducting the chamber orchestra with great conviction despite the fact he was dwarfed by the harpsichord. And although Zhu won the composer’s prize, the equally-talented second prize winner Soon-Been Lee played Li Shangqian’s “Entranced with Mountain Scenery” with great abandon and tone colour – while managing to block out the sound of an offstage trombone warming up. Along the lines of encouraging everyone and treating competitors like family, a nice Menuhin-style moment was the China-to-America handover, preparing for the 2014 Competition in Austin, Texas. China’s Zhu Ke had been eliminated in the second senior round, the US’ Ariel Horowitz had not made the second round of the juniors, but they came to every event, cheered on every competitor, played master classes and even taught at a local school – and are fine, talented musicians. The two played a variation of Chinese/American improvisation on popular themes, entering from opposite sides of the stage and passing the bow like a baton in the centre. Finally, Senior Prize Winner Kenneth Arthur Renshaw finished with an exciting Sibelius ‘Violin Concerto’s’ third movement before Yan Pascal Tortelier led the NCPA Orchestra in the wildly popular Shostakovich’s ‘Festival Overture’ – because to most Chinese audiences, anything loud is good. Still, it was an explosive end to a spectacular competition.</p> <p>As someone with the background, sensibility and temperament of an artist, I can understand people’s extreme reactions to competitions, as well as the abhorrent nature of having to evaluate something so intangible. As someone who makes a living writing about the arts, I can understand the necessity – if I need to define a musician I’ve never heard in 30 words or less, I’ll look for an award first. But competitions are like every other necessary evil; they have to happen, so let’s make them as humane as possible. Menuhin is about learning, not winning, and the people who sense this most are the competitors. Even the champions took their medal as an afterthought, they were so busy praising their colleagues and talking about how much fun they had. As for the “losers”? It was a really phenomenal experience in every respect”, says fifteen-year old Ariel Horowitz. “First of all, it’s fantastic to have the opportunity to play in such a great venue, and to make music for so many wonderful people,” she says. “The experience for those who don’t go on to the final is really, really enriching, you can play master classes, meet with the jury members and go sightseeing,” she continues, bubbling with enthusiasm. “I actually got to teach some master classes at Harrow International School, that was really, really great. Overall, it’s been a wonderful experience,” she finishes. “I think I’ve really improved as a musician.”</p> <p><b>Lin Menuhin remembers his first trip to China<br /></b>Yehudi Menuhin’s 1978 trip to China left a lasting impression; when the competition began in 1983, he dreamed of some day holding the event in China. At the closing ceremony, the master’s oldest grandson Lin Menuhin, now based in Shanghai, gave a stirring bilingual speech about his grandfather’s dream coming true.&nbsp; Afterwards, he spoke about his first impressions of his adopted country. “China was hugely different,” he recalls. “There was a choice of blue, black or brown, in terms of what people wore, and there were all these bicycles.” He spoke of changes to Shanghai, that the now-developed business district across the Huangpu River didn’t exist. “We took a boat trip with the school and the academy, and it was just flat farmland. There are huge changes topographically and culturally, now there’s so much openness and exchange.” Menuhin and his fellow teenage travellers were “blown away” by this fascinating, foreign land, but still had time to listen to the music. “Even then, we were impressed by the standards of the students coming out of the conservatory system,” he says. “That [feeling] was obviously shared by my grandfather who worked so hard to get his school out here to China the first time, and followed up constantly with his exchanges with China over the years.”</p> <p><b>Meet the Winner: Kevin Zhu (Junior)</b></p> <p><b>How does it feel to win?<br /></b>It’s very exciting, but after all, we are almost the same, it’s a very high level. I’m going to be back in Texas in 2014, when first prize-winners are going to perform.</p> <p><b>Besides classical music, what’s on your Ipod?<br /></b>Nothing.</p> <p><b>What do you like to do when you’re not practicing?<br /></b>Watch basketball, or play basketball.</p> <p><b>What’s your guilty pleasure?<br /></b>I like to go online, search for things, and play computer games.</p> <p><b>How did you like the competition?<br /></b>I had a good time. I really liked the environment, it’s very friendly and encouraging, there’s no fighting. And it’s not about political issues either, it’s very fair and honest.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p><b>Meet the Winner: Kenneth Arthur Renshaw (Senior Round)</b></p> <p><b>How did you start playing violin?<br /></b>I had heard a lot of music from infancy on, because my mother is pianist and my father is a classical guitarist, so they played a lot of recordings in the house. There was this one of Midori Goto, and there was something about the sound of the instrument really drew my ear to it, more so than other instruments. I wanted to see what it was like to play it. I started at around four, but I didn’t start taking it seriously until I was around ten.</p> <p><b>What do you think of China?<br /></b>I love the hospitality, everyone has been so friendly and helpful, and the accommodations were great. I also loved the food. I wish I could have seen more of it, for the ten days of the competition, I was in two locations – in my hotel practicing or in the conservatory rehearsing. But I’m looking forward to my day of sightseeing tomorrow.</p> <p><b>What’s your favourite food?<br /></b>Anything that’s prepared well, or that I’m not allergic too – which isn’t much.</p> <p><b>Besides classical music, what’s on your Ipod?<br /></b>My Ipod broke a while back, so I don’t remember. But besides classical music, I like to listen to flamenco guitar, that’s my Dad’s influence, he has a lot of recordings. Also, I like to listen to jazz on the radio, to relax and get my mind off classical music.</p> <p><b>How do you feel about winning?<br /></b>I’m very surprised. Of course, although wining is an unbelievable result, I really was just so happy to be able to participate in this competition.&nbsp; It was such a warm and inviting learning experience for everyone who participated, and I was just glad I could be a part of it.</p> <p><b><font size="3">How I Practice: 2010 Junior and Senior Winners Give Advice</font></b></p> <p><b>Kerson Leong (Junior Winner 2010)<br /></b>I only practice from one to three hours a day, I spend a lot of time looking at the score and thinking about the music. But for fast passages, I practice slowly at first, then with different rhythms, but I practice mentally. Especially the shifts and difficult passages, I spend a lot of time going through them in my head.</p> <p><b>Yu Xiang: (Senior Winner 2010)<br /></b>Make sure you keep up your reading and your exercise, good physical health is important for an artist. You shouldn’t NOT practice, you have to keep your skills, but you shouldn’t ONLY practice. I only practice about an hour a day, most of the time I spend thinking about, and analysing the music.&nbsp; Also, people tend to put too much emphasis on the left hand, so put more emphasis on the right, and make the left relax. And combine audio, muscle and visual elements; think nine times but practice once.</p> <p> _____________________________________________________________</p><div id="e260aa14-5036-43ba-b6db-b6c2e8d4d24b" class="weblog-outer"></div> <script type="text/javascript"> var wl_e260aa14_5036_43ba_b6db_b6c2e8d4d24b = new ZetaOnlineModuleLib.Weblog('e260aa14-5036-43ba-b6db-b6c2e8d4d24b'); wl_e260aa14_5036_43ba_b6db_b6c2e8d4d24b.initialize(); </script> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1815">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1815http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1815Thu, 12 Apr 2012 08:11:16 +01002012-04-12T07:11:16<a name="a1814"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>10 April - Junior-Finalists announced</h1> <div style="position:relative;float:right;margin:0 0 5px 15px;padding:0;width:200px"> <img style="display:block" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/IMG_6322_Junior-Finalists_web2.jpg" width="200" height="130" alt="" title="" /> <span class="bildunterschrift">Junior Finalists with Pamela Frank and Gordon Back</span> </div><p>After a first round with probably the highest level of playing ever heard in the Junior Section, eight outstanding young violinists have been selected from a first round of 20 competitors to go forward to the Menuhin Competition’s Junior Finals,&nbsp;to be held on Friday 13 April at the concert hall of the&nbsp; Middle School associated with the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. Our Junior Finalists are:</p> <p>Grace Clifford (Australia)<br /> Yehun Jin (Korea)<br /> Angela Wee (USA)<br /> Ayana Tsuji (Japan)<br /> Taiga Tojo (Japan)<br /> Kevin Zhu (USA)<br /> Soo-Been Lee (Korea)<br /> Alina Ming Kobialka (USA)</p> <p>The Junior Finals will take place in two sessions. In the first, competitors will perform one virtuoso work of their own choice with or without piano, and&nbsp;the newly commissioned work ‘Entranced with Mountain Scenery’. In the second session, each finalist will play and direct a movement of Vivaldi’s ‘The Four Seasons’.</p> <p>The Junior-Finals will be <a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/web-stream.html">web-streamed live and are afterwards available as video on demand</a> for audiences in different timezones.</p> <p> _________________________________________________________________________</p> </div><br class="clearx" /> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1814">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1814http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1814Wed, 11 Apr 2012 21:47:14 +01002012-04-11T20:47:14<a name="a1813"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>Menuhin Diary - Day 5 - April 10</h1> <p>The most startling thing about the junior rounds is that you can close your eyes and forget all about their ages. “We were evaluating them as adults,” says Jury Chairman Pamela Frank. “That really says a lot about their talent.” Open your eyes, and you might see a tiny person, barely taller than the seated accompanist, producing a rich tone, playful pizzicato and most importantly, goose bumps. Even more surprising about Menuhin is the camaraderie. Yes, candidates have been telling me how many friends they’re making, yes, it’s reportedly more fun and less vicious than other competitions. However, what I didn’t expect to see were senior candidates sitting through the junior rounds, then racing up on stage for congratulatory hugs. But that’s exactly what happened, and seeing this restores your faith in the whole darn system.</p> <p>Other than the sense of personal failure that comes with watching shockingly talented children, the day’s highlight was the jury concert at the British Embassy residence, complete with lavish buffet and free alcohol. Tasmin Little opened with an electrifying Kreisler’s ‘Preludium and Allegro’, which we had been hearing all week as a senior round one option. As fine as the competitors are, they would have benefitted hearing this particular interpretation, but hopefully someone will play it for Little’s master class. This goes double for Joji Hattori’s spectacular Kreisler triple bill, which included Slavische Fantasie and Liebeslied, another competition favourite. “This means love’s sorrow,” he says. “Unfortunately I have got lots of experience with this.” Join the club. Hattori is someone who makes everything fun, whether he’s jumping up to demonstrate dancing a minuet, or explaining practice techniques – or indeed, playing the violin. “Kreisler recorded over 48 of his works, but he wrote over 100,” he continues. “They were each about four minutes long.” The last of Hattori’s Kreisler trio was Slavonic Fantasy, which incorporated original themes by Dvorak, and kicked off the finale perfectly. Pamela Frank and Dong-Suk Kang joined CCOM professors Ma Wen (cello) and Su Zhen (viola) for the first movement of Dvorak’s Piano Quintet op 81. “If you have half a heart, you love Dvorak,” says Frank, who admitted she was part Czech. “He used soulful melodies, playful dances and folk songs, he was nationalist and romantic without being overly sentimental.”&nbsp;</p> <p>China is still trying to accept chamber music as a viable career, or even concert ticket. For this reason, it was a great shame that the CCOM audience missed this piece. The players’ connection was palpable; it crackled, it sizzled, all the more remarkable considering they had limited rehearsal time and only met a few days ago. But this is what happens when great music meets great musicians, everyone wins.</p> <p><b>Meet the competitor:</b>At 11 years old, Kevin Zhu is Menuhin's youngest competitor, and shy about speaking to a roving blogger adding local colour to a competition diary.&nbsp; He smiles, he thinks, he smiles some more, and gives short answers. &quot;Good.&quot; &quot;Yes.&quot; &quot;I don't know.&quot; He started playing at age 3 and a half. &quot;I was teaching his sister, and he was so curious,&quot; his father Daniel says, illustrating with a glass of water on the table. &quot;If this was us, he would just keep circling round us,&quot; he says, tracing a path with his finger. Daniel started by buying his son a white plastic toy violin, then graduated to a 20-dollar Chinese model, while his aunt sent him an instructional VCD. &quot;He watched and taught himself,&quot; his father says proudly. &quot;I didn't help him at all.&quot; Today Kevin plays basketball when he's not practicing, which causes his father some concern. &quot;It's not good for the fingers,&quot; he says. &quot;I made him stop playing a month before we came, just in case.&quot; Himself a former amateur violinist, Daniel Zhu grew up in Guangzhou, the largest city in southern China. During the Cultural Revolution (1966-76), many urban teenagers were sent to labour in the countryside. Those who could sing, dance or play an instrument might get sent to an academy or local performing troupe <a name="_GoBack"></a>and avoid this fate, so Daniel -- and countless others -- played violin. Fortunately, timing was on his side. &quot;I was in high school when the universities opened up again, so I just concentrated on school,&quot; he says. &quot;I didn't have the talent to continue violin. Not like him,&quot; he says gesturing to his son. &quot;Right?&quot; Kevin smiles again. As of Tuesday 11, Kevin passed into the finals round. Best of luck Kevin!</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p><b>How I Practice: Pamela Frank<br /></b>“The most important thing is honesty. Find the problem, find the exact measure, figure out the problem and fix it – that means less practice. You can solve most technical problems by thinking about it in the opposite way. Don't repeat the problem over and over again without fixing it, make a “three chance” rule. Identify the problem, play the measure, listen hard, stop, tell yourself what wasn’t good, correct the problem, play it again and stop again. Do this three times. If you can’t fix it by then, stop. If you’re too tired, stop and try again tomorrow. Remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day.”</p> <p> _____________________________________________________________</p><div id="d901fff8-e424-41d6-868e-eb52cde44b52" class="weblog-outer"></div> <script type="text/javascript"> var wl_d901fff8_e424_41d6_868e_eb52cde44b52 = new ZetaOnlineModuleLib.Weblog('d901fff8-e424-41d6-868e-eb52cde44b52'); wl_d901fff8_e424_41d6_868e_eb52cde44b52.initialize(); </script> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1813">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1813http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1813Wed, 11 Apr 2012 08:58:05 +01002012-04-11T07:58:05<a name="a1812"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>Beijing Diary - Day 4 - April 9</h1> <p>As Menuhin’s youngest players made their way to the concert hall, I headed for a day of unusually diverse lectures, beginning with one that applies the principles of physics to producing resonant tone – which would be the most physics I had ever studied.</p> <p><b>Working With Resonance to Improve Tone and Intonation</b> <b>– some highlights&nbsp;</b></p> <p>Kin-Wai Leong says: <i>Remember a great violinist can make any violin sound good, but that</i><i>’</i><i>s not true in reverse.</i></p> <p>Kerson demonstrated making slight adjustments in the contact points between the bridge and the fingerboard; the timbre difference is so extreme it draws audience gasps.</p> <p>“Texture is related to sound dynamics. Many people think of dynamics as loud and soft, but for violin, one should think more about texture.&nbsp; Forte is a strong texture, but soft sounds still have to project, if not, people cannot hear anything. For piano sounds, think soft texture.” Leong also spoke at length about friction, as well as active and passive motion, for example, not pressing your fingers to the strings (active) but letting them drop (passive), so players conserve energy and release tension.</p> <p>Kerson Leong told me that sometimes he got frustrated with physics, but overall it worked. “I had a bad teacher and was playing with a lot of tension, some stuff I’m still trying to unlearn,” he says. “My Dad's method helped me correct a lot of things, and I found I could play more relaxed.”</p> <p>And as for Kerson’s Menuhin experience? “It's a very competitor-friendly competition, there isn't any back-biting or bias, nothing that goes on at other competitions,” he says. “We were competing against each other, but we all ate breakfast together and it was always so friendly.”</p> <p><b>Secrets of a Masterpiece – some highlights:</b></p> <p>In one of the more thorough lectures ever prepared, violinmaker Florian Leonhard delivered what must have been a five-hour talks in an hour and a half.</p> <p>Beginning with ancient Egypt, violinmaker Florian Leonhard laid out the a brief history of stringed instruments that focused on the Renaissance lute guilds, from whence came the best violin makers -- or luthiers, as they are still known. “About 400 years ago, Andrea Amati made a violin that was more or less perfect,” says Leonhard. “He designed a baroque-type instrument according to lute guild specifications.” He added that today's violinists find Amati lacks the power for modern concert halls; bolstered with charts and photographs, he explained the improvements made by Stradivari and Guaneri. Then Kerson Leong demonstrated a 1734 Guaneri del Gesu owned by Riccardo Ricci (a darker, richer tone), a 1724 Early Late Period Stradivari the Duke of Edinburgh (a sweeter, rounder tone) and a 100-year old German violin from a student (a bit nasal).&nbsp; “You had people like Vivaldi, Bach, then later Mozart and Beethoven, it made it more difficult to express music with the tools they had,&quot; he says. &quot;That’s why the violins had to improve.”</p> <p><b>Discussion: Concert Master, Chamber Music or Soloist?</b></p> <p>In China’s hyper-competitive culture, being anything but a soloist is seen as disgraceful; therefore, Menuhin a thoughtful discussion might just change a few lives. A good idea, but it never left the blocks; the audience asked insightful, intelligent questions about everything else -- practicing, preparing for auditions and why they really chose those semi-finalists. But before everyone careened off topic, the panel delivered an important message. Jury Chairman Pamela Frank joined Competition President Joji Hattori and Jury Member Olivier Charlier in saying that even though soloist is a tough gig to get, the violin has a huge possibilities for employment. Some discussion highlights:</p> <p>In Europe and the US, concertmaster is a highly respected job, and in top orchestras, they make more money than most soloists. General Managers of leading orchestras complain about how hard it is to find good concertmasters. They need the technique and ability of a soloist, as well as knowledge of symphonic and operatic repertoire and basic people skills -- very few can do it all.</p> <p>Some European schools have changed curriculum to include [symphonic] information, but in Asia, music education is still concentrating on the soloists. Remember even if you're the best violinist in the orchestra, if you don't know the repertoire you still have to sit in the back.</p> <p>And finally from Pamela Frank: “If you love music, you're fine doing anything, happiness doesn't depend on your profile. Great musicians are both soloists and chamber musicians. There are many ways to be happy in music,” she continued. “Even being an audience member – or a teacher.”</p> <p> _____________________________________________________________</p><div id="4b544297-27e7-48d2-9ba6-591852583dca" class="weblog-outer"></div> <script type="text/javascript"> var wl_4b544297_27e7_48d2_9ba6_591852583dca = new ZetaOnlineModuleLib.Weblog('4b544297-27e7-48d2-9ba6-591852583dca'); wl_4b544297_27e7_48d2_9ba6_591852583dca.initialize(); </script> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1812">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1812http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1812Wed, 11 Apr 2012 00:34:59 +01002012-04-10T23:34:59<a name="a1811"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>12 April - Kenneth Renshaw wins Senior First Prize</h1> <div style="position:relative;float:left;margin:0 15px 5px 0;padding:0;width:300px"> <img style="display:block" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/Senior-1-Prize-winner_Kenneth-Renshaw_mid-size.jpg" width="300" height="207" alt="" title="" /> <span class="bildunterschrift">Senior 1st Prize Winner Kenneth Renshaw</span> </div><p>Audiences in the completely filled Beijing Concert Hall welcomed every finalist with wild applause, and after each concerto&nbsp;they clapped, yelled and&nbsp;whooped&nbsp;with wild abandon. After countless hours spent in practice rooms, what can be more thrilling for talented youth&nbsp;than to travel to a foreign country, play with a foreign orchestra, and bring down a foreign house?</p> <p>Before announcing the results, jury chair Pamela Frank stressed that music cannot be judged. “I am begging you not to let results or opinions of others define you; you are not defined by numbers, you are artists. The musical world is a better place with you all in it.”</p> <p>The Prize Winners of the Senior Division of the Menuhin Competition Beijing are:</p> <p>1st Prize - Kenneth Arthur Renshaw (USA) 18 years<br /> 2nd Prize - Ji Eun Anna Lee (Korea) 16 years<br /> 3rd Prize - Alexi Kenney (USA) 18 years<br /> 4th Prize - Siyan Guo (China) 20 years</p> <p>Kenneth Arthur Renshaw took his victory the way Menuhin intended. “I’m very surprised,” he said. “Of course, although winning is an unbelievable result, I was just so happy to participate in this competition, because it was such a warm and inviting learning experience for everyone,” he continued. “I was just glad I could be a part of it.”</p> <p>VODs of the Senior-Finals are <a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/competitors-2012.html" rel="">available as video on demand</a> through the individual competitor profiles on our website the day after the finals.</p> <p> _________________________________________________________________________</p> </div><br class="clearx" /> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1811">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1811http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1811Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:32:43 +01002012-04-10T15:32:43<a name="a1810"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>Beijing Diary - Day 3 - April 8 - Oslo Winners Concert</h1> <p>Sunday's concert featured 2010 junior and senior winners Kerson Leong and Yu Xiang respectively. Canadian Chinese Leong, now at the advanced age of 15 played a brilliant programme of Kreisler, Brahms, Waxman and an excerpt from Chen/He's Butterfly Lover's Concerto. A thoroughly engaging performer, he sways, he rocks, he grimaces, he squints, and all the while looks -- and plays -- less like a teenager than a compact adult. He ricochets between ferocity and tenderness with blazing speed and ignores the loose bow strings whipping around his face.</p> <p>The perfect yin to Leong's yang, senior winner Yu Xiang followed with Elgar, Debussy, Gluck, Ysaye and Tchaikovsky. If Leong is a coiled spring, Xiang is a live wire -- fluid, flexible but crackling with energy. One of the most expressive players on stage today, his grimaces, head rolls, exhalations and pacing make Leong look wooden by comparison. As his career progresses, critics may accuse him of showmanship, but there is little doubt of his sincerity. He played Ysaye's Solo Sonata No. 3 in D minor &quot;Ballade&quot; as if he was releasing inner demons; it was more like witnessing an exorcism than watching a soloist. At the end, it took him a minute to remember where he was, then he seemed embarrassed by the applause. Xiang uses sound like an artist uses paint, his music becomes almost tangible. You could almost see him selecting from a vast dynamic pallet, choosing texture and timbre as yet unknown to the rest of us.</p> <p>The concert was sponsored in part by the Lin Yaoji Music Foundation of China, named for the country's most famous violin pedagogue, known as the Isaac Stern of China. As for spotting and/or nurturing talent, he had the Midas touch - most of today's most famous Chinese violinists trace their musical ancestry back to Lin, either himself or his students. Beyond that, he was he was a kind, dedicated teacher. Chen Xi recalls riding on the back of his bicycle every morning to get <i>baozi</i> (a meat dumpling) for breakfast; when Hu Kun was preparing for the 1980 Sibelius Competition, Lin was so nervous that his cigarette would burn holes in his jacket. At the end of every lesson, he would stand in a ring of ashes and charred fabric. When one conservatory student failed to show up for class, he arrived at his dorm room to find an open window and an empty bed. He felt the mattress, determined it was still warm, and jumped out the window after him. Most importantly, he would always support the best students -- no matter who their teacher was.</p> <p>&quot;My father passed away three years ago,&quot; says head of the foundation Lin Wei, herself a violinist. &quot;He personally nurtured more than 40 international prizewinners, and more than 50 per cent of those at international competitions and festivals were his students. My father was very special,&quot; she continues. &quot;He not only cared about his students, he cared about their families, and he would do anything to help someone's talent develop.&quot; She went on to explain the foundation's goals, which include holding masterclasses and recitals as well as awarding scholarships. &quot;We want to give many opportunities for these young talents,&quot; she says. &quot;Please join us, I want to continue my father's legacy.&quot;</p> <p>As is the custom, Lin thanked the parents for all their hard work -- in China, music is a team effort. Still, she wanted the Chinese students to benefit from Leong and Xiang's example, that success does not come from eight-hour days in the practice room, so after acknowledging the riotous applause and depositing their post-concert bouquets -- China theatre tradition -- the two joined their families on stage for a post-show discussion.&nbsp;</p> <p>&quot;I was exposed to music before I was born,&quot; says Leong. &quot;My parents are music lovers, I heard it in the womb.&quot; He told me later that he still plays family trios with his cellist brother and pianist mother. &quot;I started piano at about two, and violin at age 4, I liked the sound, it was like a bird.&quot; But as much as he loves music, he is careful to diversify. &quot;I swim, I play badminton and soccer -- of course I have to be careful of my hands,&quot; he says. &quot;I love reading and learning new things, and I like going out with friends and meeting new people.&quot;</p> <p>Where Leong is confident but grounded, Xiang is more self-effacing, and has had a tougher life. &quot;When he was preparing for a competition, his mother was very sick,&quot; says Lin Wei. &quot;Every day he gave her a massage. He didn't want to go, but she made him. Two hours after she died, he got on the plane, went to the competition and won third prize.&quot; Xiang had never planned to study music, having gotten accepted to one of China's better universities, but had won so many competitions it was worth a go. Still, he feels his life experience has enhanced his playing. &quot;My mother dying, it made me realise the potential I had and how strong I was,&quot; he says. &quot;The world is so big, and music needs so much emotion and colour, we shouldn't lock ourselves in the practice room all the time. You can't learn life there, you have to read books, make friends, learn new things. I don't want to be a violinist,&quot; he says. &quot;I want to be an artist.&quot;</p> <p> _____________________________________________________________</p><div id="b288fb4c-ca38-42da-b1b3-5475ab214fba" class="weblog-outer"></div> <script type="text/javascript"> var wl_b288fb4c_ca38_42da_b1b3_5475ab214fba = new ZetaOnlineModuleLib.Weblog('b288fb4c-ca38-42da-b1b3-5475ab214fba'); wl_b288fb4c_ca38_42da_b1b3_5475ab214fba.initialize(); </script> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1810">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1810http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1810Mon, 09 Apr 2012 07:02:38 +01002012-04-09T06:02:38<a name="a1809"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>8 April - Senior Semi-Finalists announced</h1> <div style="position:relative;float:right;margin:0 0 5px 15px;padding:0;width:271px"> <img style="display:block" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/IMG_5664_Semi-Finalists_web.jpg" width="271" height="133" alt="" title="" /> <span class="bildunterschrift">Senior Semi-Finalists with Pamela Frank and Gordon Back</span> </div><p>After a phenominally well attended first round&nbsp;with 22 Senior competitors, the jury announced nine outstanding young violinists to go forward to the Menuhin Competition’s Senior Semi-Finals. Our Semi-Finalists are:</p> <p>Zeyu Victor Li (China)<br /> Eunice Kim (USA)<br /> Siyan Guo (China)<br /> Alexi Kenney (USA)<br /> Zenas Hsu (USA)<br /> Ke Zhu (China)<br /> Gabriel Ng (Singapore)<br /> Ji Eun Anna Lee (Korea)<br /> Kenneth Arthur Renshaw (USA)</p> <p>The Semi-Finals will be held on Wednesday 11 April in the Concert Hall of the Central Conservatory of Music (CCoM) in Beijing. Each competitor will perform a challenging repertoire of Western classical music – including a virtuoso work of their own choosing – as well as a new work by Chinese composer Tian Jinglun. The Semi-Finals will be <a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/web-stream.html">web-streamed live and are afterwards available as video on demand</a> for audiences in different timezones.</p> <p> _________________________________________________________________________</p> </div><br class="clearx" /> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1809">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1809http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1809Sun, 08 Apr 2012 17:23:12 +01002012-04-08T16:23:12<a name="a1808"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>BEIJING DIARY - Day 2 - April 7th</h1> <p>On an early Saturday morning, music fans from conservatories around the country poured into the chilly-even-for-China concert hall to see Menuhin first-rounders take the stage. This is astounding; normally even international competition second rounds draw an audience of no more than 50; to have over 400 be-jacketed people shivering in their seats just to be there from the start is a great credit to the name Menuhin, and/or the marketing department of CCOM.</p> <p>Last night's opening concert at the National Centre for Performing Arts was also well attended, and went off without a hitch. Eclectic on its face, the programme honoured Menuhin's musical tastes, featuring works by his former teacher Enescu, his favourite composer Mozart and his frequent collaborator Bartok, among others. Menuhin's final student Ning Feng delivered a mesmerising Bartok’s Rhapsody No. 1 by Bartok. For his part, Lv Siqing is known for producing history's greatest recording of the <i>Butterfly Lovers' Violin Concerto</i>, a now-iconic piece composed in 1959 by Chen Gang and He Zhanhao about China's most famous star-crossed lovers (think Romeo and Juliet for grownups). And reputation did not lie; Lv's <i>Butterfly</i> was indeed the best I've ever heard -- having said that, after 11 years in China, I have heard this piece too much. The big surprise for those of us who missed Oslo 2010 was Kersong Leong, a fifteen-year old with a 45-year old’s stage presence. When I first read in the competition programme that Leong would be holding a workshop on tone production, my first thought was &quot;what can a fifteen-year old teach us about tone does?&quot; Quite a lot, as it turns out. His Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso by Saint Saens was a showstopper, and a perfect example of those <i>mao gu song ren</i> (goosebumps) Pamela Frank was talking about. Leong is still young, but should the musical gods choose to grant him a smooth adolescence and good management, his career seems unstoppable.</p> <p>The senior first round had plenty of breaks, ideal for those who smoke, need infusions of caffeine or simply want to remember what warmth and sunshine feel like. Outside the concert hall is the first obvious sign of just how much Menuhin cares about its competitors – a massive board arrayed with contestant photographs, almost as large as the jurys’ pictures beside them. Another indication is the excellent programme that gives sizeable competitor bios, instead of the usual name, age, country and teacher.</p> <p>As for the performances themselves, this was a high level first round – even the weakest players had strong moments. But among the ones I listened to,&nbsp;one stood out. Yesterday during the order ceremony, he stumbled going onstage, but clearly no damage was done; today he played as if the competition was a stop on a solo concert tour. Here’s what the audience was murmuring about 18-year old American Alexi Kenney:</p> <p>“He is already a soloist.” - &nbsp;“He should be competing with the jury.” - “Goosebumps.” - Tomorrow should be even more exciting.</p> <p><i>Meet the competitors: Taiga Tojo</i></p> <p><i>During yesterday's role call, one student stood out -- partly because he was wearing a black vest and a fluorescent green T-shirt, and partly because he answered to the name Tiger. Today Taiga Tojo was wearing a black jacket with fluorescent green sleeves. &quot;I like this colour,&quot; he said in hesitant English. &quot;It's bright.&quot; 15 years old and haling from outside Tokyo, he agrees with me that Beijing has a more disorganised (but still charming) feel than Japan's capital, but that he likes all the new, post-Olympic buildings. He started playing violin because he saw someone on television, but he doesn't remember who it was. As for his name? &quot;It's the Chinese characters,&quot; explains his visibly proud mother, whipping out a pad and pen. &quot;Our family name has 19 strokes,&quot; she says, after counting rapidly in Japanese. &quot;His name,&quot; she counts again, &quot;has thirteen strokes.&quot; As the three of us fumble with the math, she writes the total 32. &quot;I think 32 is a lucky number.&quot; Best of luck Tiger!</i></p> <p> _____________________________________________________________</p><div id="a04b8225-908e-411d-8f6f-9fadf22576e1" class="weblog-outer"></div> <script type="text/javascript"> var wl_a04b8225_908e_411d_8f6f_9fadf22576e1 = new ZetaOnlineModuleLib.Weblog('a04b8225-908e-411d-8f6f-9fadf22576e1'); wl_a04b8225_908e_411d_8f6f_9fadf22576e1.initialize(); </script> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1808">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1808http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1808Sun, 08 Apr 2012 06:57:56 +01002012-04-08T05:57:56<a name="a1799"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>BEIJING DIARY - Day 1 - April 6th</h1> <p>Menuhin Competition Beijing 2012 officially opened with the order draw, in a light, airy auditorium at the Central Conservatory of Music (CCOM). The excitement was palpable -- and at this stage, purely positive. In this room, there are no eliminations; in this room, everyone is a winner.</p> <p>Of course, Menuhin is one of the few competitions that actually believes this, which is reflected in the truly inspirational welcome. Competition President Joji Hattori was too excited to even wait for translator Fan Lei, a CCOM Clarinet Professor, who -- instead of looking irritated or terrified -- stood in rapt, joyful attention. &quot;I actually was in the Menuhin Competition three times before I won,&quot; Hattori said. &quot;But the first two times may have been even more beneficial. I met so many people, I'd tell them I really liked their playing, and I'd ask them who their teacher was. I got so many new teachers that way.&quot; He then pointed out the crucial difference between athletics and music. &quot;It's not so interesting to do sports and not win, but music is about giving pleasure to people, whether you win or not. Of course this is a competition, it should be noticed,&quot; he continued. &quot;If someone in the country has a great talent, they can come to a bit city and meet people from all over the world. But,&quot; he cautioned. &quot;The most important thing is that you do your best.&quot;</p> <p>Jury Chairman Pamela Frank went even further. &quot;It's a misnomer to call it a competition,&quot; she said. &quot;If it were up to me, it's the Menuhin Festival, a celebration of music and a violin party. Enjoy Beijing,&quot; she continued. &quot;Enjoy all the competition has to offer. And yes, music is about giving pleasure, but it's also about getting pleasure. If you're not enjoying yourself, neither are we.&quot;</p> <p>Those who have not been arts writing in China for seven years cannot appreciate the impact of those words. As a frequent visitor to the country’s many international competitions, you get used to seeing strained children on the arms of nervous parents, pushing their charges at the only foreign journalist in the room. You can almost hear their post-game pep talk, &quot;You should have won; you played much faster than anyone else.&quot; &nbsp;For cultural context, remember that when then nine-year old pianist Lang Lang suffered a professional setback, his father told him to kill himself; today Guoren Lang gives seminars on parenting. At best, ask most children why they play their instrument, and they’ll give you a blank stare. But when CCOM President Wang Cizhao praised the parents for working so hard and sacrificing so much, he was acknowledging that they often shed careers, homes and even spouses to support a child they hope is enroute to conservatory, let alone musical stardom. Everyone pays a price.</p> <p>As China's competition level rises, this atmosphere is gradually dissipating, but the core remains. Menuhin is still in early days -- or day -- but if the competition can deliver on its promises, perhaps its greatest gift will be the legacy of education and enjoyment. Certainly that’s how Lv Siqing remembers it. “I was a student at the Menuhin School, and I was lucky because my teachers didn’t put too much pressure on me, they just said learn some pieces and try,” he says, radiating the same boyish enthusiasm he must have had as a 14-year old prize-winner at the first Menuhin Competition in 1983. “I remember thinking more about making friends than the competition, and being surprised that I had won a prize.” Lv took his 140£ right to the shop. “I bought one of those dual cassette players with detachable speakers,” he says, still visibly excited at the memory. “It was something I always wanted.”</p> <p>Frank offered the most valuable advice. &quot;Music is a hobby that becomes a profession for most of us,&quot; she says. &quot;Remind yourselves how lucky you are,&quot; and as the violinists sat up and smiled, those of us residing on the arts outskirts felt just a little bit smaller. &quot;Think about the composer and your connection to the piece. If you've done your homework, and you have something to say, you're already way ahead. As a judge, my biggest voting system is the goosebump factor -- does my hair stand on end? Did I feel something?&quot; “Goosebumps” in Chinese is <i>mao gu song ren</i>, which sounds funnier than it reads. &quot;It's not about you, it's not about me,&quot; she went on. &quot;Play the piece, give everything you have, nothing bad will happen.&quot; Fan got so excited, he forgot to translate. &quot;That's great advice,&quot; he enthused in English. &quot;I am a clarinet professor at this school, and I have played many competitions….&quot; His voice trailed off, but you could tell what he left unsaid…”If only I had known back then…”</p> <p>True, it's the first day, but so far Menuhin did for me what no other competition has ever done, make me wish I was competing myself. The final masterstroke was when Artistic Director Gordon Back finished the numbers draw, and warned everyone not to practice too much. &quot;You've already done that,&quot; he said. &quot;You're already here.&quot; With any luck, Menuhin will beat a path for others to follow.&nbsp;</p><div id="5273c5cc-fac6-4f68-aed6-d389ce22542b" class="weblog-outer"></div> <script type="text/javascript"> var wl_5273c5cc_fac6_4f68_aed6_d389ce22542b = new ZetaOnlineModuleLib.Weblog('5273c5cc-fac6-4f68-aed6-d389ce22542b'); wl_5273c5cc_fac6_4f68_aed6_d389ce22542b.initialize(); </script> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1799">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1799http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1799Mon, 19 Mar 2012 18:38:36 +00002012-03-19T18:38:36<a name="a1798"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <div style="position:relative;float:right;margin:0 0 5px 15px;padding:0;width:150px"> <img style="display:block" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/NANCY-PELLEGRINI_web.jpg" width="150" height="225" alt="" title="" /> <span class="bildunterschrift">Nancy Pellegrini</span> </div><p><font color="#FFA500" size="3"><strong>The Menuhin Competition Diaries</strong></font></p> <p><font color="#FFA500" size="3"><font color="#000000" size="2">Follow the Menuhin Competition through the eyes and ears of Beijing resident and writer</font></font>&nbsp;Nancy Pellegrini - Originally from Long Island, New York, Nancy has covered China’s classical music, opera, theatre and dance scene for over six years. She is the Classical and Performance writer/editor for <i>Time Out Beijing</i> and <i>Time Out Shanghai</i> magazines, runs a Beijing music salon, hosts interactive arts lectures and contributes regularly to <i>International Piano</i> and <i>The Strad</i>, as well as freelancing for <i>Christian Science Monitor, South China Morning Post</i> and <i>Modern Painters.</i></p> <p>A first time visitor to the Menuhin Competition, Nancy will keep you posted with news, stories and behind-the-scenes impressions of this year's competition.</p> </div><br class="clearx" /> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1798">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1798http://www.menuhincompetition.org/menuhin-blog.html#a1798Mon, 19 Mar 2012 18:38:00 +00002012-03-19T18:38:00<a name="a1766"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>11 January 2012 - Menuhin Competition goes to America</h1> <div style="position:relative;float:right;margin:0 0 5px 15px;padding:0;width:149px"> <img style="display:block" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/Butler-School-of-Music_web.png" width="149" height="121" alt="" title="" /> <span class="bildunterschrift">Butler School of Music (BSOM) at The University of Texas at Austin</span> </div><p>We are&nbsp;thrilled to announce that the Menuhin Competition has been invited by the <a href= "http://www.music.utexas.edu/Default.aspx" target="_blank">Butler School of Music</a> (BSOM) at The University of Texas at Austin. It will be held in the USA for the first time from 21 February to 2 March in 2014.</p> <p>“I am absolutely delighted that the next competition will be held in the country in which Yehudi Menuhin was born” said Gordon Back, Artistic Director.</p> <p>2014 also marks the Butler School of Music’s centennial. “Hosting the Menuhin Competition’s first North American appearance is testament to the Butler School of Music’s rising prominence, not only in this country but around the world,” says BSOM Director Glenn Chandler. “The Butler School and the Menuhin Competition share a common goal of cultural exchange in education.”</p> <p><a href= "http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/files/PressReleases/120110_January-Press-Release-announcing-Austin.pdf" target="_blank">Read full press release</a></p> <p> <strong>_________________________________________________________</strong></p> </div><br class="clearx" /> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1766">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1766http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1766Thu, 12 Jan 2012 10:10:39 +00002012-01-12T10:10:39<a name="a1765"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>January 2012 - Chad Hoopes wins Audience Prize at German Festival</h1> <div style="position:relative;float:right;margin:0 0 5px 15px;padding:0;width:150px"> <img style="display:block" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/Chad-Hoopes_web.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="" title="" /> <span class="bildunterschrift">Chad Hoopes (c) Lisa-Marie Mazzucco</span> </div><p>Congratulations to Chad Hoopes! We just heard that our Junior 1st Prize winner 2008 has won the Audience Award 2011 at the <a href= "http://www.festspiele-mv.de/presse/presseinformationen/preise-an-junge-amerikaner-%2805012012%29" target="_blank">Musikfestival Mecklenburg Vorpommern</a>. He captured the audience's hearts with his performance at Nossentin, accompanied by Mara Mednik on the piano . As a result, he will return again to the Festival&nbsp;this summer where he might meet up with 2010 Junior 1st Prize winner Kerson Leong, who is also performing&nbsp;there.</p> <p> <strong>_________________________________________________________</strong></p> </div><br class="clearx" /> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1765">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1765http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1765Fri, 06 Jan 2012 12:36:03 +00002012-01-06T12:36:03<a name="a1753"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>December 2011 - The Menuhin 2012 competitors are...</h1> <div style="position:relative;float:left;margin:0 15px 5px 0;padding:0;width:150px"> <img style="display:block" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/Jennifer-Liu_web.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="" title="" /> <span class="bildunterschrift">Jennifer Liu</span> </div><p>“<em>I feel so honoured to have been accepted into one of the top musical experiences in the world”</em> comments 19-year old American Jennifer Liu on the fact that she is one of next year’s <strong><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/competitors-2012.html" target="">chosen competitors for Beijing</a></strong>. This year's pre-selection jury had the particularly challenging job to choose only 42 candidates out of over 230 entries. Artistic Director Gordon Back, Norwegian violinist Alf Richard Kraggerud and Kenneth Sillito, Artistic Director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields spent many days auditioning the submitted application DVD’s.</p> <p>“<i>Doing the pre-selection for the second time, I experienced not only many more applications but also a much higher level of playing. This filled me with joy over so much talent, but also with sadness for all those wonderful young musicians that we could not accept due to a fixed number of competitors for the competition</i>” says Kraggerud. <strong><a href= "http://www.menuhincompetition.org/competitors-2012.html">Get to know the Menuhin Competitors 2012…</a></strong></p> <p> <strong>__________________________________________________</strong></p> </div><br class="clearx" /> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1753">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1753http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1753Tue, 29 Nov 2011 15:04:16 +00002011-11-29T15:04:16<a name="a1744"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>November 2011 - Menuhin Prize winners awarded international top prizes</h1> <div style="position:relative;float:left;margin:0 15px 5px 0;padding:0;width:154px"> <img style="display:block" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/So-Young-Yoon_web.jpg" width="154" height="154" alt="" title="" /> <span class="bildunterschrift">So-Young Yoon</span> </div><p>A number of former Menuhin Competition Prize winners have recently&nbsp;been awarded&nbsp;prizes at other international competitions including Soo-Young Yoon (Senior 1st Prize Winner 2002) who has just won the <a href= "http://www.wieniawski.com/news/aktualnosci-konkursy-en/prize-winners-of-the-wieniawski-violin-competition.html" target="_blank">Wieniawski Violin Competition</a>. At the Korean <a href="http://timf.org/competition_e/2011/2011_st_3.php" target= "_blank">Isang Yun International Violin Competition</a>, three former Menuhin Prize winners are among the laureates: 1st Prize was awarded to Yu Chien Tseng (3rd Prize Junior in 2006), 4th Prize Nigel Armstrong (2nd Prize Senior in Oslo 2010) and 5th Prize Ji-Yoon Lee (Senior Semi-Finalist in Oslo 2010). And at the <a href="http://www.accademia-archi.it/Virtuoso2011.htm" target= "_blank">Virtuoso&nbsp;Award</a> in Cremona/Italy went to Yusuke Hayashi (4th Prize Senior 2004).</p> <p> <strong>__________________________________________________</strong></p> </div><br class="clearx" /> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1744">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1744http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1744Fri, 11 Nov 2011 14:29:54 +00002011-11-11T14:29:54<a name="a1726"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>October 2011 - Ray Chen wins German Echo Music Award</h1> <div style="position:relative;float:right;margin:0 0 5px 15px;padding:0;width:170px"> <img style="display:block" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/Ray-Chen-at-Echo-Award-1.jpg" width="170" height="170" alt="" title="" /> <span class="bildunterschrift">Ray Chen in Berlin</span> </div><p><strong>Berlin 2 October 2011</strong> - Ray Chen has scooped up the German <a href="http://www.echoklassik.de/en/klassik-ray-chen/" target="_blank">"Echo Klassik" Award</a>&nbsp;in the category&nbsp;Newcomer of the Year (violin)&nbsp;for his début CD "Virtuoso". Ray was born in Taiwan and grew up in Australia. He&nbsp;found himself in the limelight after winning the 2008 Yehudi Menuhin Competition, and then in 2009 the Concours Reine Elisabeth in Brussels. On "Virtuoso" he presents a selection of his favourite pieces, accompanied by the pianist Noreen Polera.</p> <p>Congratulations to Ray!</p> <p> <strong>__________________________________________________</strong></p> </div><br class="clearx" /> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1726">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1726http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1726Wed, 05 Oct 2011 11:01:11 +01002011-10-05T10:01:11<a name="a1725"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>September 2011 - Ji Yoon Lee wins 2nd and Sarasate Prize</h1> <div style="position:relative;float:left;margin:0 15px 5px 0;padding:0;width:143px"> <img style="display:block" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/Ji-Yoon-Lee_webportrait.jpg" width="143" height="168" alt="" title="" /> <span class="bildunterschrift">Ji Yoon Lee</span> </div><p>Ji Yoon Lee, 19 year old Korean Senior Semi-Finalist of the Menuhin Competition Oslo 2010, has secured a rare combination of prizes at this year's Pablo Sarasate Competition in Spain. Last week she's won 2nd Prize and the coveted Sarasate Prize for the best performer of works by Pablo Sarasate, a prize that is mostly awarded to the 1st Prize winners. We are delighted to hear about Ji Yoon’s success. The 3rd Prize at the Sarasate Competition went to Stephen Waarts, Junior 2nd Prize winner of the Menuhin Competition Oslo (<a href= "http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1724" target="">see news article underneath</a>).</p> <p> <strong>__________________________________________________</strong></p> </div><br class="clearx" /> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1725">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1725http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1725Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:09:06 +01002011-09-29T15:09:06<a name="a1724"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>September 2011 - Stephen Waarts wins 3rd Prize at Pablo Sarasate Competition</h1> <div style="position:relative;float:right;margin:0 0 5px 15px;padding:0;width:158px"> <img style="display:block" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/stephen_web.jpg" width="158" height="114" alt="" title="" /> <span class="bildunterschrift">Stephen Waarts</span> </div><p>15-year old&nbsp;American Stephen Waarts was one of the youngest contestants at the <a href= "http://www.navarra.es/home_en/Temas/Turismo+ocio+y+cultura/Actividades+culturales/Concursos/ConcursoSarasate/Edicion+actual/Concursantes/" target="_blank">11th Pablo Sarasate International Violin Competition</a> held in Spain from 14-21 September. His previous awards include 2nd prize in the Menuhin Competition Oslo 2010 and 1st prize at the 2010 Louis Spohr International Violin Competition. 2nd Prize winner at the Pablo Sarasate Competition&nbsp;was 19-year old Korean Ji Yoon Lee who was a Senior Finalist at last year's Menuhin Competition in Oslo. Congratulations to both!</p> <p> <strong>__________________________________________________</strong></p> </div><br class="clearx" /> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1724">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1724http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1724Wed, 28 Sep 2011 10:26:52 +01002011-09-28T09:26:52<a name="a1691"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>Internationally acclaimed conductor joins jury panel</h1> <div style="position:relative;float:left;margin:0 15px 5px 0;padding:0;width:150px"> <img style="display:block" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/Yan-Pascal-Tortelier-portrait-(c)-Malcolm-Crowthers_web-01.jpg" width="150" height="150" alt="" title="" /> <span class="bildunterschrift">Yan Pascal Tortelier © Malcolm Crowthers</span> </div><p>The Menuhin Competition is thrilled to announce that French conductor and former violinist Yan Pascal Tortelier will join the jury panel of the&nbsp;Beijing competition 2012.&nbsp;Tortelier has worked with the world's leading orchestras including London Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw, St Petersburg, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony. Previously Chief Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra,&nbsp;he currently is&nbsp;Principal Conductor of the Sao Paulo Symphony Orchestra. As well as being on the jury panel, he will&nbsp;conduct the Competitions Closing Gala concert at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) on 15 April 2012.</p> <p> <strong>__________________________________________________</strong></p> </div><br class="clearx" /> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1691">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1691http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1691Wed, 13 Jul 2011 11:15:35 +01002011-07-13T10:15:35<a name="a1689"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>Ji Eun Anna Lee wins Prince von Hessen Prize</h1><p><img title= "" border="2" hspace="3" alt= "" vspace="7" align="right" src= "http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/Anna-in-Kronberg_web.jpg" />After a week of violin masterclasses with Christian Tetzlaff, Pavel Vernikov, Ana Chumachenko and Zakhar Bron at <a href= "https://www.kronbergacademy.de/cms/english/spitzenfoerderung/violin-masterclasses-2011/violin-masterclasses-2011.html" target="_blank">Kronberg Academy</a>, four participants were awarded with prizes to support their careers. Junior 3rd Prize winner of the Menuhin Competition Oslo, <strong>Ji Eun Anna Lee, shares the Prinz von Hessen Prize with Benjamin Beilman.</strong> The Manfred Gromek Prize was equally shared between Arata Yumi and Ekaterina Frolova. Together with four further masterclass participants, they all performed to an enthusiastic audience at the closing concert of this year’s Kronberg Academy Violin Masterclasses.</p> <p> <strong>_________________________________________________________</strong></p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1689">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1689http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1689Mon, 27 Jun 2011 07:02:11 +01002011-06-27T06:02:11<a name="a1687"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>Xiang Yu honors his mother's last wish</h1><p><img title= "" border="2" hspace="3" alt= "" vspace="7" align="right" src= "http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/Xiang-Yu-at-MIchael-Hill-01.jpg" />Xiang Yu (1st Prize Senior Winner of the Menuhin Competition Oslo 2010) wins 3rd Prize in Michael Hill International Violin Competition in New Zealand. He sees his achievement not so much in winning the prize as in honouring his mother’s last wish. Xiang Yu nearly did not attend the competition because of his mother’s critical condition. “My mother who has been suffering from leukaemia for two years passed away two hours before my New Zealand flight, her last wish for me is to go to New Zealand no matter what happens,” he says.</p> <p>Read and hear his story on <a href= "http://www.3news.co.nz/Violinist-honours-mothers-dying-wish/tabid/418/articleID/214791/Default.aspx?" target="_blank">3 News</a></p> <p>The 1st Prize went to Sergey Malov (27 years) from Russia and 2nd Prize went to Richard Lin (19) of Taiwan/USA. <a href= "http://www.michaelhillinternationalviolincompetition.com/index.php/pi_pageid/223" target="_blank">More…</a></p> <p> <strong>_________________________________________________________</strong></p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1687">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1687http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1687Mon, 13 Jun 2011 15:09:04 +01002011-06-13T14:09:04<a name="a1672"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>Tasmin Little receives Critic's Classic Brit Award 2011</h1><p><img title= "" border="1" hspace="3" alt= "" vspace="5" align="left" src= "http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/Tasmin-Brit-Award-02.png" />12 May 2011 -&nbsp; Congratulations to Tasmin Little. She has just&nbsp;received the&nbsp;Critics' Award for her recording of Elgar's Violin Concerto with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra&nbsp;under Sir Andrew Davis. The Critics’ Award was chosen by a panel of critics from the national media and recognises special achievements or performances over the past twelve months. She thanked the judges, saying: “Every musician in the hall wouldn’t be here if it were not for the opportunities we were given as young musicians.”</p> <p>Tasmin Little was a prize winner at the very first Menuhin Competition and will join next year's jury panel in Beijing.</p> <p> <strong>_________________________________________________________</strong></p> <p><a href= "http://www.classicbrits.co.uk/2011/tasmin-little-wins-critics-award/" target="_blank">Visit the Classic Brit website</a></p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1672">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1672http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1672Mon, 16 May 2011 11:00:50 +01002011-05-16T10:00:50<a name="a1661"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>What is special about the Menuhin Competition?</h1><ul> <li>it is the world’s only violin competition with a <a href= "http://www.menuhincompetition.org/jury-2012.html" target=""><strong>star studded jury of musicians</strong></a> <strong>who will all perform</strong> in concerts and teach during the event</li> <li><strong>all competitors are invited to stay the entire event</strong>, and those not going forward into the next round will take part in masterclasses, concerts and other activties</li> <li><strong>accommodation will be provided for all competitors</strong>, official pianists are available and those in need can apply for a <strong>travel grant</strong> to get to Beijing</li> <li>it combines the competition rounds with a <strong>10-day festival</strong> of concerts and events</li> <li>like the Olympics, it is hosted in a different city or country every other year</li> </ul> <p>And in Beijing competitors have a chance to collaborate with the China Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best orchestras in China, and to perform at the impressive National Centre for the Performing Arts and Beijing Concert Hall. They can experience&nbsp;the thriving Chinese capital, experience Chinese history and culture, and the hospitality and enthusiasm&nbsp;of Beijing's people.</p> <p> <strong>_________________________________________________________</strong></p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/the-competition.html#a1661">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/the-competition.html#a1661http://www.menuhincompetition.org/the-competition.html#a1661Wed, 06 Apr 2011 20:02:02 +01002011-04-06T19:02:02<a name="a1640"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>17 March 2011 - Menuhin Competition part of UK Now Festival</h1><p><img title= "" border="2" hspace="2" alt= "" vspace="5" align="right" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/UK-delegation.jpg" />The British Council in Beijing&nbsp;has announced today that the Menuhin Competition will be an integral part of the UK Now Festival 2012. The festival will&nbsp;potentially be&nbsp;the biggest ever celebration of British arts held in China. It&nbsp;will highlight the best of UK creativity and include exhibitions, concerts and performances across the country. The festival will reciprocate the China Now event held by the Chinese in the UK during the Beijing Olymics. <a href= "http://ukinchina.fco.gov.uk/en/news/?view=PressR&amp;id=31230682" target="_blank">More...</a></p> <p> <strong>_________________________________________________________</strong></p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1640">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1640http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1640Wed, 16 Mar 2011 13:24:09 +00002011-03-16T13:24:09<a name="a1628"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>November - Central Conservatory of Music celebrates 70th birthday </h1><p><a href= "http://zhuanti.ccom.edu.cn/70yq/gg/201010/t20101013_13610.html" shape="rect" track="on"></a><img title= "" border="0" hspace="3" alt= "" vspace="5" align="right" src= "http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/CCoM-anniversary-01.png" />The Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, where the next Menuhin Competition will be hosted in April 2012, has just celebrated its <a href= "http://zhuanti.ccom.edu.cn/70yq/gg/201010/t20101013_13610.html" shape="rect" target="_blank" track="on" linktype="link">70th anniversary</a>.<br /> <br /> It was an important milestone in the history of the Conservatory and celebrated with a series of events including a summit of Deans and Presidents from top music conservatories worldwide, many concerts, performances and lectures series.</p> <p> <strong>_________________________________________________________</strong><br /> </p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1628">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1628http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1628Mon, 13 Dec 2010 16:01:03 +00002010-12-13T16:01:03<a name="a1626"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>22 November - Timothy Chooi wins Standard Life Competition Montreal</h1><p><strong><img title= "" border="0" hspace="3" alt= "" vspace="5" align="right" src= "http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/Timothy-Chooi-Standard-Life-Prize.jpg" />Timothy Chooi</strong> (Senior winner of the violin prize 2010) has just been nominated the 2010 Grand Prize winner of the 71st Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal Standard Life Competition. The&nbsp;teenage Victoria violinist moved a judge to tears during his winning performance at a national music competition in Montreal.&nbsp;He thrilled the panel with Finnish composer Jean Sibelius's Violin Concerto. "I just try to tell a story when I play," said the graduate of Calgary's Mount Royal College and first-year student at Philadelphia's Curtis Institute. "Finland is very far north and cold. It's very dark and daunting, and I want to show the complex rhythms in a storyline."&nbsp;<a href= "http://www.timescolonist.com/entertainment/Victoria+musician+wins+prestigious+competition+brought+judge+tears/3867167/story.html" shape="rect" target="_blank" linktype="link" track= "on">More...</a></p> <p> <strong>_________________________________________________________</strong><br /> </p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1626">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1626http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1626Mon, 13 Dec 2010 14:26:23 +00002010-12-13T14:26:23<a name="a1624"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>7 November - Stephen Waarts wins Ludwig Spohr Competition</h1><p><img title= "" border="1" hspace="3" alt= "" vspace="5" align="left" src= "http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/Waarts-at-Spohr7939-01.jpg" />Stephen Waarts (Junior 2nd Prize winner of this years Menuhin Competition)&nbsp;has won the shared 1st Prize in&nbsp;the youngest category of the <a href= "http://www.hfm-weimar.de/v1/veranstaltungen/wettbewerbe/geigerwettbewerb/2010/seite.php?lang=en" target="_blank"><strong>Ludwig Spohr Competition</strong></a> in Weimar, Germany. He also&nbsp;received a Special Award for the best interpretation of a romantic concerto.</p> <p>The competition took place&nbsp;from 27&nbsp;October to 7 November. Stephen was competing with 39 international young violinists under the age of 15. In the final round he performed Mozart's Violin&nbsp;Concerto No. 5 with the Chamber Orchestra of the&nbsp;Weimar Conservatory. In the prize winners concert, he performed the 1st movement of Saint Saens&nbsp;Concerto No 3&nbsp;B minor&nbsp;with the Staatskapelle Orchestra conducted by Martin Hoff.</p> <p> _____________________________________________________________</p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1624">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1624http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1624Sat, 13 Nov 2010 16:09:23 +00002010-11-13T16:09:23<a name="a1611"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>26 Sept - Congratulations to Soyoung Yoon</h1><p>Senior 1st Prize winner of the 2002 Menuhin Competition, Soyoung Yoon, has won the Silver Medal at this year's Indianapolis International Violin Competition. <em>"Her Sibelius was spellbinding, and she nailed all the very difficult technical passages. She made perfect octave runs, even chromatic ones, look easy."</em> <a href= "http://www.violinist.com/blog/laurie/20109/11672/" target= "_blank">Read review on violinist.com</a></p> <p> _____________________________________________________________</p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1611">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1611http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1611Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:17:28 +01002010-10-15T14:17:28<a name="a1610"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>October - Kerson Leong staring at prestigious occasions</h1><p><img title= "" border="1" hspace="3" alt= "" vspace="5" align="left" src= "http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/Kerson-Leong_web.jpg" />Kerson Leong (Junior 1st Prize 2010) enjoyed a warm welcome at his return to Oslo for the <a href= "http://www.kavliprize.no/static/videopage.html" shape="rect" target="_blank" linktype="link" track="on"><strong>Kavli Prize Award Ceremony</strong></a>&nbsp;on September 7th. The entire ceremony was webcast and you can see his performance from minute 121. In October he played with his cellist brother Stanley at the <strong>Inauguration of Canada's new Governor General</strong> on 1st October. On 2nd October Kerson and <strong>Chad Hoopes</strong> (Junior 1st Prize 2008) were invited by Pinchas Zukerman to&nbsp;perform at a <strong><a href= "http://ottawastart.com/story/12017.php" shape="rect" target= "_blank" linktype="link" track="on">Gala of the Ottawa National Arts Centre</a></strong>.</p> <p> _____________________________________________________________</p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1610">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1610http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1610Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:02:34 +01002010-10-15T14:02:34<a name="a1606"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>12 July 2010 - Chad Hoopes invited back to Menuhin Festival</h1><p><img title= "" border="0" alt= "" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/chad_hoopes_Gstaad.jpg" /></p> <p>2008 Junior 1st Prize winner Chad Hoopes was invited again to perform at this year's Menuhin Festival in Gstaad/Switzerland. His performance last year had wowed audiences and organisers, who immediately wanted to bring him back. <a href= "http://www.menuhinfestivalgstaad.ch/pages/en/programme/2010/heritage2-chad-hoopes.html" target="_blank">Chad will return to Gstaad as part of the Menuhin's Heritage&nbsp;series&nbsp;on 19 August</a> with an exciting recital repertoire, with pianist and Competition Director Gordon Back.</p> <p> _____________________________________________________________</p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1606">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1606http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1606Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:12:39 +01002010-07-13T15:12:39<a name="a1602"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>July 2010 - Callum Smart on Ole Bull Tour in the UK</h1><p>Inspired by Harld Herresthal's research about Ole Bull's time and work in the UK - Carreglwyd in Wales to be precise - the Menuhin Competition has arranged a tour in partnership with the Norwegian Embassy.</p> <p><img title= "" border="0" hspace="3" alt= "" vspace="5" align="right" src= "http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/callum_smart_web-01.jpg" />"A Load of Ole Bull" -&nbsp;a three-part event comprising a recital by Callum Smart, Junior prize winner of the Menuhin Competition Oslo 2010 and Finalist of the BBC Young Musician 2010, accompanied by Competition Director&nbsp;Gordon Back, a talk on Ole Bull by his biographer Harald Herresthal and a screening of Aslak Aarhus’s compelling 2006 documentary, which tells the story of Bull’s extraordinary life with fine musical contributions by violinist Henning Kraggerud.</p> <p>Callum, Gordon and Harald will be in at Chetham's in Manchester on 2nd July, Carreglwyd on 4th July and at the Cheltenham Festival on 5th July 2010.</p> <p> _____________________________________________________________</p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1602">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1602http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1602Tue, 13 Jul 2010 12:21:05 +01002010-07-13T11:21:05<a name="a1601"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>June 2010 - Junior Winners 2008 and 2010 perform together in Ottawa</h1><p><img title= "" border="0" hspace="3" alt= "" vspace="5" align="right" src= "http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/Kerson-and-Chad.jpg" />During this year's Summer Music Institute Young Artists Programme, founded by Pinchas Zukerman, two of our 1st Prize winner have an opportunity to meet, talk and play together. Canadian Junior 1st Prize winner Kerson Leong got together with Chad Hoopes, Junior winner of the 2008 competition. "They got on great and had a lot of experiences to share" says Kerson's mother.&nbsp;Their encounter culminates in the performance of Wieniawski's caprices in a concert for the Governor General.</p> <p> _____________________________________________________________</p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1601">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1601http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1601Tue, 13 Jul 2010 11:43:21 +01002010-07-13T10:43:21<a name="a1539"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>24 April - Senior Prize winners nominated</h1><p>Four Senior finalists have wowed Oslo's audiences&nbsp;at the Opera House&nbsp;with their performances of Sibelius' and Prokofiev's violin concertos; each of them played twice in the course of the evening. The finalists were accompanied by the Norwegian Broadcasting Orchestra (KORK) with Markus Lehtinen conducting.</p> <p><img title= "" border="0" hspace="3" alt= "" vspace="5" align="right" src= "http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/finalisrtene_web-01.jpg" />Following a short deliberation, the jury announced the Prize Winners as follows:</p> <p><strong>1. Prize - Xiang Yu, China</strong></p> <p><strong>2. Prize - Nigel Armstrong, USA</strong></p> <p><strong>3. Prize - Suyeon Kang, Australia</strong></p> <p><strong>4. Prize - Ji Won Song, Korea</strong></p> <p>The Prize Giving ceremony will take place before the <a href= "http://www.menuhincompetition.org/00000000.html" target="">Gala Concert</a>, which is equally taking place at the Oslo Opera House tomorrow.</p> <p>Note that reviewing the&nbsp;web stream of the performances will take some time to publish; it should be available around 12.00h CET on 25 April.</p> _____________________________________________________________ </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1539">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1539http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1539Sat, 24 Apr 2010 16:53:12 +01002010-04-24T15:53:12<a name="a1536"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>23 April - The best Junior Finals ever</h1><p>Audiences and jury were completely overwhelmed by the performances of the&nbsp;eight Junior Finalists in a sold out concert hall at the Norwegian Academy of Music. Livestreamed and live broadcast via the EBU, the&nbsp;contestants have delivered some <a href="http://www.nmh.no/menuhincompetition2010" target= "_blank">amazing performances, which can be reviewed on our media page</a>.</p> <p>After short deliberation, the jury announced the Junior Prize winners of this year's Menuhin Competition.</p> <ol> <li><strong>Prize Junior - Kerson Leong</strong>&nbsp;</li> <li><strong>Prize Junior - Stephen Waarts</strong></li> <li><strong>Prize Junior - Ji Eun Anna Lee</strong></li> <li><strong>Prize Junior - Taiga Tojo</strong></li> <li><strong>Prize Junior - Callum Smart</strong></li> </ol> <p><strong>Guro Kleven Hagen was awarded the EMCY award for Music</strong></p> <p>Both Artistic Director Gordon Back and Jury Chairman Erich Gruenberg stated that the competition has never seen such level of playing at the Junior Finals before. Supporting these outstanding performances was&nbsp;a fantastic&nbsp;orchestra of&nbsp;players from the&nbsp;Norwegian Academy of Music and the&nbsp;Barratt Due Music Institute under the baton of Per Kristian Skalstad.&nbsp;</p> <p>The <a href= "http://www.menuhincompetition.org/00000000.html" target="">Senior Finals</a> will take place at the Oslo Opera House on 25 April and the Prize giving ceremony will take place before the Gala Concert on Sunday at 5.30pm.</p> <p>__________________________________________________________</p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1536">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1536http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1536Fri, 23 Apr 2010 22:58:52 +01002010-04-23T21:58:52<a name="a1534"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>22 April - Senior Finalists chosen</h1><p>Nine competitors performed in the Senior Semi Finals on Thursday. Their individual&nbsp;35 minute performances included&nbsp;a Beethoven quartet, a quick study work, Arne Nordheim’s Partita fuer Paul and a virtuoso work of their own choice.&nbsp;In the early evening the jury announced the results of who will be going forward to the <a href= "http://www.menuhincompetition.org/00000000.html" target="">Finals at the Oslo Opera House on Saturday 24 April.</a> The level of playing was very high and choosing only four finalists was not an easy task for the jury. “You all played really fantastically well” said jury chairman Erich Gruenberg when he announced the Finalists:</p> <ul> <li><strong>Ji Won Song</strong></li> <li><strong>Suyeon Kang</strong></li> <li><strong>Nigel Armstrong</strong></li> <li><strong>Xiang Yu</strong></li> </ul> <p>The jury was very impressed by the way the Semi Finalists played a work by Arne Nordheim. It inspired the president of The Menuhin Competition Trust, Joji Hattori, to award a special prize of 5000 Norwegian crowns to the best performance of Nordheim’s Partita fuer Paul.</p> <p>Mr. Gruenberg was in no doubt that even though not all nine of the competitors made it to the finals, they can all look forward to great careers as musicians. Stating also that the standard of the competitors seemed to rise from competition to competition, he encouraged the musicians to search as much for the spirit in music as for the technique.</p> <p align="left">The Senior Finals will take place at the Oslo Opera House&nbsp;with the Norwegian Broadcasting Orchestra (KORK) on Saturday at 19.30 CET. <a href= "http://www.operaen.no/Default.aspx?ID=27382&amp;E=N&amp;QL=S1231|P10490|VDNO|K2|GEventFlashPlan.aspx" target="_blank"><strong>Book your tickets now</strong></a> - they are selling fast!</p> <p>_______________________________________________________</p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1534">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1534http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1534Fri, 23 Apr 2010 08:28:33 +01002010-04-23T07:28:33<a name="a1533"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>21 April - Jury announces Junior Finalists</h1><p>After an exciting two days of Junior First Rounds, with the last competitors arriving on the morning of the 21 April, the jury has nominated the Junior Finalists. Despite the travel chaos caused by the Icelandic volcano eruption, 19 out of 20 nominated Juniors arrived in Oslo on time to perform.</p> <p align="left">The jury has nominated the following&nbsp;Junior competitors to proceed to the Junior Finals on Friday 23 April (start from 14.00h CET):</p> <ul> <li><strong>Kerson Q Xun Leong</strong></li> <li><strong>Guro Kleven Hagen</strong></li> <li><strong>Alice Ivy-Pemberton</strong></li> <li><strong>Callum Smart</strong></li> <li><strong>Seung Hee Lee</strong></li> <li><strong>Ji Eun Anna Lee</strong></li> <li><strong>Taiga Tojo</strong></li> <li><strong>Stephen Waarts</strong></li> </ul> <p> ______________________________________________________________________</p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1533">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1533http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1533Wed, 21 Apr 2010 22:01:48 +01002010-04-21T21:01:48<a name="a1530"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>19 April 2010 - Jury announces Senior Semi-Finalists</h1><p align="left">The jury has nominated the following Senior competitors to proceed to the Semi-Finals on Thursday 22 April (start from 11.00h CET):</p> <ul> <li><strong>Ji Won Song</strong></li> <li><strong>Christopher Tun Andersen</strong></li> <li><strong>Joanna Emilia Kreft</strong></li> <li><strong>Suyeon Kang</strong></li> <li><strong>Ji Yoon Lee</strong></li> <li><strong>Eric Gratz</strong></li> <li><strong>A. Timothy Chooi</strong></li> <li><strong>Nigel Armstrong</strong></li> <li><strong>Xiang Yu</strong></li> </ul> <p> <strong>_______________________________________________________</strong></p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1530">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1530http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1530Mon, 19 Apr 2010 22:51:31 +01002010-04-19T21:51:31<a name="a1529"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>18 April - Changes to jury panel for the First Round</h1><p>Competitors and jury alike are trying to come to Oslo by all means but not all could arrive in time for the start of the competition. Three concertmasters - Tim Frederiksen from Copenhagen/Denmark, Christer Thorvaldsen from Gothenburg/Sweden, Winfried Ruessmann from Hamburg/Germany&nbsp;and the Competition Director Gordon Back from London/England have stepped in for the first round of the competition.</p> <p>Ruessmann, Thorvaldsen and Frederiksen jumped in cars, on ferries and, buses and trains to make it to Oslo in time. All jury have great admiration for the the determination of this year's competitors to make it to Oslo. During yesterday's lunch break many experiences were shared of long trips and nearly missed performances.</p> <p>Erich Gruenberg, Hu Kun and Lidia Baich are sharing the competitor's experiences, all of them also travelling by train, car and ferry to Oslo.</p> <p>The competitors can be sure to find a jury panel with a lot of sympathy for the extraordinary and partly very exhausting&nbsp;efforts it took to get to Oslo - and perform despite it all.</p> <p>We wish everyone good luck and look forward to today's performances. <a href="http://www.nmh.no/menuhincompetition2010/" target="_blank">Join us on the web stream.</a></p> <p> _____________________________________________________________</p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1529">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1529http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1529Mon, 19 Apr 2010 06:57:21 +01002010-04-19T05:57:21<a name="a1519"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>17 April 2010 - Business as (un)usual</h1><p align="left">Competition kicked off with fantastic Opening Concert. "A full hall, excellent playing and terrific atmosphere" says Artistic Director Gordon Back. And despite the travel chaos in Europe, all concerts will take place as scheduled.</p> <p align="center">The Competition will start with the Senior First Round on Sunday 18 April at 12pm; Junior Rounds start on Tuesday at 10am. All timetable changes will be published shortly.</p> <p> <strong><strong>_________________________________________________________</strong></strong></p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1519">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1519http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1519Sat, 17 Apr 2010 11:32:17 +01002010-04-17T10:32:17<a name="a1487"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>2008 senior winner Ray Chen signed with CAMI and Sony Classical</h1><p><img title= "" border="0" hspace="2" alt= "" vspace="5" align="right" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/ray-chen_new.jpg" />NEW YORK, March 22 /PRNewswire/ Violinist <b>Ray Chen</b>, who captivated the classical music scene with his consecutive victories at the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 2009 and the Yehudi Menuhin Competition in 2008, has signed an exclusive multi-year recording contract with Sony Classical. In February of this year, Mr. Chen signed a worldwide general management contract with CAMI Music. <a href= "http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ray-chen-signs-exclusive-contract-with-sony-classical-88807372.html" target="_blank">Read full press release at PRNewswire</a></p> <p> <strong>_________________________________________________________</strong></p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1487">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1487http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1487Tue, 23 Mar 2010 21:31:19 +00002010-03-23T21:31:19<a name="a1481"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>Olympics of the Violin 2012: The Menuhin Competition goes to Beijing</h1> <div style="position:relative;float:right;margin:0 0 5px 15px;padding:0;width:120px"> <img style="display:block" src="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/images/Zamira-Menuhin-Benthall_webportrait-01.jpg" width="120" height="120" alt="" title="" /> <span class="bildunterschrift">Zamira Menuhin Benthall</span> </div><p><i>(London, 03/03/2010)</i> The Menuhin Competition Trust is delighted to announce that its 2012 Competition will be held for the first time ever outside Europe. It will be hosted in Beijing, China by the Central Conservatory of Music April 6-15, 2012. <strong>“Yehudi would have been thrilled!” says Menuhin’s daughter Zamira Menuhin Benthall.</strong> The connection between Menuhin and China goes back a long time. Yehudi Menuhin was the first Western musician to receive an Honorary Professorship from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing in 1979. <a href= "http://www.menuhincompetition.org/media/files/Files/100303_PRESS-RELEASE_Menuhin-Competition-goes-to-Beijing.pdf" target="_blank">Read full press release</a></p> <p> <strong>_________________________________________________________</strong></p> </div><br class="clearx" /> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1481">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1481http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1481Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:24:28 +00002010-03-03T06:24:28<a name="a1414"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>A rare honour for music competition</h1> <p>His Majesty King Harald of Norway has agreed to be the Royal Patron of the Menuhin Competition Oslo 2010. This is an honour that the Competition shares with few other Norwegian cultural organisations. “We are very privileged that King Harald has agreed to become the Competition’s patron”, says Eirik Birkeland, leader of Oslo Host Organisation, the partnership of music establishments hosting the 2010 competition. <a href= "http://www.nmh.no/menuhincompetition2010/press_english/press_releases/81353" target="_blank">Read&nbsp;full press release</a></p> <p> <strong>_________________________________________________________</strong></p> </div><br class="clearx" /> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1414">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1414http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1414Thu, 17 Dec 2009 17:36:47 +00002009-12-17T17:36:47<a name="a1339"></a> <div class="articlearea"> <h1>42 competitors from 10 countries selected</h1><p>The&nbsp;international pre-selection jury consisting of <strong>Gordon Back</strong> (UK), <strong>Erich Gruenberg</strong> (UK) and <strong>Olivier Charlier</strong> (France) has selected 22 Senior and 20 Junior candidates from 140 applications. Entries came from 29 nations around the globe. The youngest competitor&nbsp;will be&nbsp;12 years of age and&nbsp;the oldest 21. Candidates are looking forward to their stay in Oslo: <u>"I am overwhelmed by joy at being invited to the Menuhin Competition 2010 in Oslo. For a young violinist it is a dream come true to be able to participate in such a prestigious event."</u> And the level of playing displayed on the audition DVDs promises to make for fantastic performances next April.</p> <p> <strong>_________________________________________________________</strong></p> </div> <p><a href="http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1339">Read the full article</a></p>http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1339http://www.menuhincompetition.org/NEWS.html#a1339Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:19:58 +00002009-12-02T12:19:58Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:01:12 GMThttp://www.menuhincompetition.orgFri, 20 Apr 2012 16:01:12 GMT