Prizes Awarded at Italy’s 2018 Lipizer International Violin Competition

18-year-old Matthew Hakkarainen has been awarded 1st prize at the 2018 Lipizer International Violin Competition

18-year-old Matthew Hakkarainen, from the United States, has this week been awarded 1st prize at the 37th 2018 Premio Rodolfo Lipizer International Violin Competition, in Gorizia, Italy.

A student of Pamela Frank at the Curtis Institute of Music, Matthew will receive €12,000 (US $13,500) - plus a number of important European concert engagements.

MATTHEW HAKKARAINEN | PROKOFIEV VIOLIN CONCERTO NO. 2 1ST MVT & TCHAIKOVSKY VIOLIN CONCERTO | 2018 LIPIZER INTERNATIONAL VIOLIN COMPETITION | 1ST PRIZE

2nd and 3rd prizes were awarded to Hawijch Elders from the Netherlands - and Simon Ximeng Zhu from Germany

4th, 5th and 6th prizes were awarded to Hui Hua from China, Issei Kurihara from Japan - and Simon Wiener from Switzerland.

HAWIJCH ELDERS | SIBELIUS VIOLIN CONCERTO 1ST MVT & BRITTEN VIOLIN CONCERTO | 2018 LIPIZER INTERNATIONAL VIOLIN COMPETITION | 2ND PRIZE

SIMON XIMENG ZHU | PROKOFIEV VIOLIN CONCERTO NO. 2 1ST MVT & TCHAIKOVSKY VIOLIN CONCERTO | 2018 LIPIZER INTERNATIONAL VIOLIN COMPETITION | 3RD PRIZE

This year's jury comprised: Lorenzo Sbaffi (President), Florin Croitoru, Edwin Eung Soo Kim, Hester Susanna Martens, Gabriele Pieranunzi, Carlos Alberto Sanguino and Karen Shakhgaldyan.

PHOTO CREDIT: GIANPIETRO ZAMOLO