Primrose International Viola Competition Choses Semi-Finalists

Tune in to The Violin Channel today, June 19, to watch the eight semi-finalists

The 17th Primrose International Viola Competition, presented by The Colburn School and the American Viola Society, is currently underway at Colburn School’s Zipper Hall. Featuring the world's best and most promising young violists, all live rounds are being streamed LIVE on The Violin Channel.

After two days of quarter-finals, the eight semi-finalists in the Primrose International Viola Competition have been announced. They are:

• Mao Konishi
• Kinga Wojdalska
• Laura Liu
• Emad Zolfaghari
• Andy Park
• Xunyu Zhou
• Otoha Tabata
• Katie Liu

During the Semi-Final Round, which starts on June 19 at 12:30 PM,  competitors will perform any two contrasting movements of a solo work by Johann Sebastian Bach, a complete major work for viola and piano, and a commissioned work for viola and piano. Nokuthula Ngwenyama— viola soloist, composer, and 1993 Primrose Competition Winner — will serve as the inaugural Honorary Competition Chair and will write a commissioned work to be performed at the semi-final round.

The live-round competition jury includes Tim Frederiksen (Jury Chairman, Denmark), Atar Arad, Cathy Basrak, Ensik Choi, Steven Dann, Ayane Kozasa, and Geraldine Walther.

The first prize winner will receive $15,000; the second prize winner will receive $10,000; the third prize winner will receive $5,000; the Transcriptions Prize winner will receive $1,000; and the Illumination Prize winner, for best performance of a work by an underrepresented composer demographic, will receive $1,000. The first prize winner will perform at the 2026 American Viola Society Festival and receive an invitation to the semi-finals of the Concert Artists Guild Competition.

The 2024 competition is dedicated to the memory of Dr. David Dalton, who was one of the world’s greatest champions of the viola, and a former student and friend of William Primrose.

"The Primrose Competition is not just a showcase of exceptional talent, but a celebration of the viola's unique voice, highlighting its depth, richness, and versatility in the world of classical music,” said Colburn School President and CEO Sel Kardan. “We are excited to host the live round competitors at Colburn in collaboration with the American Viola Society, along with hundreds of violists from around the world attending the 2024 American Viola Society Festival. This will be a week filled with inspiring music and celebrations that recognize the next generation of rising stars in classical music.”

In conjunction with the Primrose International Viola Competition, the American Viola Society will host its 2024 Festival taking place at the Colburn School on June 19-22, 2024.