BREAKING | Finalists Announced at England's Aronowitz International Viola Competition

The Final Round of the 2021 Cecil Aronowitz International Viola Competition will stream LIVE here on The Violin Channel on 12 November at 1:00 PM (ET)

Open to international violists 21 years of age and younger, the first prize winner will receive £5000, an album recording with Champs Hill Records, a fine viola bow made by Robert Shallock, courtesy of Bishop Instruments & Bows, plus a set of Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Gold Viola Strings and Rosin and a Pirastro Viola KorfkerRest.

This year's three finalists are:

• 22-year-old Edgar Francis from the United Kingdom

• 20-year-old Haneul Park from South Korea

• 20-year-old Noga Shaham from Israel

For the Final Round, each of the three candidates will present the first movement from either the Hoffmeister Viola Concerto or the Stamitz Viola Concerto in D major, in addition to Britten's "Lachrymae" — with conductor Angus Webster and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire Chamber Orchestra.

Full playback of the Opening and Semi-Final Rounds are available for now, here on The Violin Channel.

The 2021 jury is comprised of Thomas Riebl, Matthew Jones, and Garth Knox.

Previous first prize winners include VC Artist Timothy Ridout.