VC LIVE | 2023 Michael Hill Violin Competition

Tune in here from June 1-9 for all rounds of the international competition – streamed LIVE from Queenstown and Auckland, in New Zealand

 

We're coming to you LIVE from Queenstown and Auckland, New Zealand for the 2023 Michael Hill International Violin Competition.

The six competitors progressing through to the Semi-Final stage of the 2023 Michael Hill International Violin Competition have today been announced, in Queenstown, New Zealand.

 

This year's six semi-finalists are:

Yeyeong Jenny Jin (20, South Korea/United States)

Gabrielle Despres (22, Canada/United States)

Eva Rabchevska (26, Ukraine/Germany)

Claire Wells (22, United States/Germany)

Aoi Saito (25, Japan/Germany)

Lorenz Karls (21, Sweden/Austria)

 

 

The 16 international candidates will compete, over the 10 days in both Queenstown and Auckland, for a $40,000 NZ cash prize, a recording contract with the Atoll label, a multi-city winners tour with Chamber Music New Zealand and the three-year loan of a fine violin courtesy of Rare Violins of New York .

All rounds of this year’s competition is being streamed LIVE here on The Violin Channel.

This year's jury is made up of Hon Christopher Finlayson (Chairperson), violinists Bella Hristova, Ning Feng, Natalia Lomeiko, Wilma Smith, James Ehnes, Anthony Marwood and international pianist Piers Lane.

 

 

THURSDAY 1 JUNE 10:30PM (ET) | QUARTER-FINAL ROUND 1 | QUEENSTOWN MEMORIAL HALL

Each of the 16 candidates, in this their first of two quarter-final performances, will present selected movements from the solo J.S. Bach Partitas and Sonatas, a Paganini caprice, a violin salon work plus an Ad Libitum selection of their own choosing. Both quarter-final rounds are performed in collaboration with pianists Sarah Watkins and Somi Kim.

 

Kingston Ho (21, United States)

Hani Song (25, Switzerland/Germany)

Yeyeong Jun (19, South Korea/United States)

Gabrielle Despres (22, Canada/United States)

 

 

Eva Rabchevska (26, Ukraine/Germany)

Jiayi Chen (25, China/Austria)

Tianyu Liu (23, China/United States)

Karen Su (24, United States/Belgium)

 

 

FRIDAY 2 JUNE 6:00PM (ET) | QUARTER-FINAL ROUND 1 | QUEENSTOWN MEMORIAL HALL

Each of the 16 candidates, in this their first of two quarter-final performances, will present selected movements from the solo J.S. Bach Partitas and Sonatas, a Paganini caprice, a violin salon work plus an Ad Libitum selection of their own choosing. Both quarter-final rounds are performed in collaboration with pianists Sarah Watkins and Somi Kim.

 

 

Audrey Park (20, United States)

Yuri Tanaka (17, Japan/Germany)

Claire Wells (21, United States/Germany)

Ayaka Uchio (25, Japan/Germany)

 

 

Julia Mirzoev (26, Canada)

Seonglan Hong (21, South Korea)

Aoi Saito (25, Japan/Germany)

Lorenz Karls (21, Sweden/Austria)

 

 

SATURDAY 3 JUNE 6:00PM (ET) | QUARTER-FINAL ROUND II | QUEENSTOWN MEMORIAL HALL

Each of the 16 candidates, in this their second of two quarter-final performances, will present a major violin and piano sonata, the brand-new commission work by New Zealand composer Michael Norris and a virtuosic violin show piece. Both quarter-final rounds are performed in collaboration with pianists Sarah Watkins and Somi Kim.

 

Kingston Ho (21, United States)

Hani Song (25, Switzerland/Germany)

Yeyeong Jun (19, South Korea/United States)

Gabrielle Despres (22, Canada/United States)

 

 

 

Eva Rabchevska (26, Ukraine/Germany)

Jiayi Chen (25, China/Austria)

Tianyu Liu (23, China/United States)

Karen Su (24, United States/Belgium)

 

SUNDAY 4 JUNE 6:00PM (ET) | QUARTER-FINAL ROUND II | QUEENSTOWN MEMORIAL HALL

Each of the 16 candidates, in this their second of two quarter-final performances, will present a major violin and piano sonata, the brand-new commission work by New Zealand composer Michael Norris and a virtuosic violin show piece. Both quarter-final rounds are performed in collaboration with pianists Sarah Watkins and Somi Kim.

All performance times listed below are in New York (ET) time.

 

Audrey Park (20, United States)

Yuri Tanaka (17, Japan/Germany)

Claire Wells (21, United States/Germany)

Ayaka Uchio (25, Japan/Germany)

 

 

Julia Mirzoev (26, Canada)

Seonglan Hong (21, South Korea)

Aoi Saito (25, Japan/Germany)

Lorenz Karls (21, Sweden/Austria)

 

TUESDAY 6 JUNE | SEMI-FINAL ROUND III | AUCKLAND TOWN HALL CONCERT CHAMBER

The advancing six semi-finalists’ will lead Mozart string quintets with violinist Amalia Hall, violists Gillian Ansell and Robert Ashworth and celllist Ashley Brown.

 

WEDNESDAY 7 JUNE | SEMI-FINAL ROUND III | AUCKLAND TOWN HALL CONCERT CHAMBER

The advancing six semi-finalists’ will lead Mozart string quintets with violinist Amalia Hall, violists Gillian Ansell and Robert Ashworth and celllist Ashley Brown.

 

FRIDAY 9 JUNE | FINAL ROUND | AUCKLAND TOWN HALL, GREAT HALL

Three finalists will each perform a major violin concerto with conductor Andrew Litton and the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.