The Menuhin Competition Trust and the Richmond Symphony have announced the 44 competitors selected from a pool of 321 applicants to participate in the biennial Menuhin Competition, the world’s leading international competition for young violinists.
The competition, which is held every two years in a different location, is hosted this year in Richmond, Virginia, by a consortium of local institutions headed by the Richmond Symphony together with the City of Richmond, VPM, Virginia’s home for public media, the University of Richmond and Virginia Commonwealth University.
The selected competitors – 22 Juniors (ages 15 and under) and 22 Seniors (ages 21 and under) – reflect the incredible diversity and prodigious global talent that distinguishes the Menuhin Competition as “the Olympics of the Violin.”
These extraordinary young musicians – representing 18 nationalities in 16 countries of residence across North and South America, Europe, Asia and Australia, and 13 states within the U.S. – will gather in Richmond in May 2020 not only to participate in Competition events, but to be immersed in music among peers, mentors and audiences, with masterclasses, panel discussions, workshops, concerts and engagement activities.
Gordon Back, artistic director of the Menuhin Competition and chair of the pre-selection jury that identified this year’s competitors, says, “The applicants are so accomplished at such a young age that it becomes more challenging every year to select the 44 competitors; the youngsters play at an exceptional level both musically and technically.”
The dedicated pre-selection jury spent hundreds of hours considering each application individually before making their decisions. Back says, “Each of the competitors who was selected brought some exceptional quality that distinguished them in a field of outstanding applicants. We look forward to seeing and hearing them at the Competition this year in Richmond.”
View the entire list of competitors in the announcement video here.
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