Beatrice Colombis, 22, is an Italian-Australian violinist who is currently studying at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin with Professor Suyeon Kang.

Beatrice began her studies at the age of three with renowned teacher of the Suzuki Method, Yasuki Nakamura, and continued her studies with ACO violinist Ilya Isakovich.  She has been a prize winner in several Australian competitions, including the 2nd prize in the Dorcas McClean Travelling Scholarship (2025), 1st and audience prizes at the Kendall National Violin Competition (2023), Richard Mills first prize in the Melbourne Bach Competition (2021) and the Anne Kantor Award in the Great Romantics Competition (2024).

In 2020, Beatrice, with her brother and cousins as the Cousin Quartet, won Musica Viva’s Inaugural Strike A Chord national chamber music competition. Beatrice has performed as a soloist with Concerto Arcana, Caesura Ensemble, and the Sydney Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra.

In 2024 she completed her Bachelor Degree of Music Performance at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music studying with Professor Goetz Richter.  In the same year, she was a semi-finalist in the Max Rostal International Violin Competition in Germany and a finalist in the Tokyo Classic Violin Competition in Japan.

Beatrice was selected as an Emerging Artist with the Australian Chamber Orchestra in 2023 and 2024. She has played as a casual with the ACO and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. She was selected for the Gustav Mahler Academy in Bolzano in 2025/26.

Beatrice has travelled and performed with various string quartets, including touring NSW and taking part in masterclasses and festivals in Finland, Austria and Germany. In 2024 her quartet Elvina gave their debut recital in Melbourne after returning from a residency in Munich with the Schumann Quartet. Other chamber music collaborators include Anthony Marwood, Julian Smiles, Roger Benedict, Kristian Winther and the Brodsky Quartet.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME*

Quarter-final (Round I):
Bach – Sonata No.2 in A minor, Grave and Fuga
Paganini – Caprice No.23
Busoni – Sonata No.1 in E minor 

Quarter-final (Round II):
Fisher – Commissioned work for solo violin
Prokofiev – Sonata No.1 in F minor
Bacewicz – Solo Sonata No.2

Semi-final (Round III):
Dvorak – Quintet in A major Op. 81 (Bärenreiter Edition)

Grand Final:
Shostakovich – Violin Concerto No.1 in A minor (Boosey and Hawkes)

*Subject to change

Anaïs Feller, a graduate of the Colburn Music Academy in California where she studied with Martin Beaver, is currently a third-year violin student at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia under the guidance of Midori and Erin Keefe.

As a soloist, she has earned top prizes at the Tibor Junior International Violin Competition (Switzerland), Verão Clássico Festival (Portugal), Burgos International Music Festival (Spain), and the HKGNA International Music Competition (International Young Artist), as well as multiple U.S. competitions.

An avid chamber musician, Anaïs is the violinist of the award-winning Olive Trio, gold medalists at both the 2022 Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition (Junior Division) and the Chicago International Music Competition. She has performed annually at the Edinburgh International Festival (2023–2025) alongside Stefan Jackiw and Nicola Benedetti, and has appeared at renowned festivals including the Fontainebleau School of Music (France), Yellow Barn (Vermont), Morningside Music Bridge (Boston), Academia Verão Clássico (Portugal), the International Menuhin Music Academy (Gstaad), and La Jolla Music Society’s SummerFest (California).

At sixteen, Anaïs was among the youngest artists named a Performance Today Young Artist in Residence, a prestigious national honor recognizing exceptional emerging musicians featured on YourClassical.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME*

Quarter-final (Round I):
Bach – Adagio and Fuga from Sonata No.1 in G minor
Szymanowski – Violin Sonata, Op.9
Fisher – Commissioned work for solo violin
Ravel – Tzigane

Quarter-final (Round II):
Beethoven – Sonata No.8, Op. 30, No.3
Paganini – Caprice No.10
Lutoslawski – Partita for Violin and Piano
Korngold – Die stumme Serenade, Op.36, No.23, Ohne Dich

Semi-final (Round III):
Shostakovich – Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 57 (Sikorski Edition)

Grand Final:
Sibelius – Concerto in D minor (International Edition)

*Subject to change

Emmalena Huning, 24, is a versatile Australian violinist praised for her “distinct voice” (The West Australian) and “emotional delivery” (Radio NZ).

She is currently studying at the Curtis Institute of Music, studying with Benjamin Beilman and Erin Keefe, and is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music (London) where she studied with Gyorgy Pauk and Jack Liebeck.

Emmalena is a prize winner at the National Youth Concerto Competition, Kendall National Violin Competition and Osaka International Music Competition, and was awarded the Australian Musician of Promise prize at the Royal Over-Seas League Annual Music Competition in 2022.

Notable performances as a soloist include Tchaikovsky, Sibelius, Korngold, Bruch and Mozart No. 5 violin concertos with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, and other orchestras around Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

Emmalena has work with artists such as Noah Bendix-Balgley, James Ehnes, Augustin Hadelich and Nathan Cole, in masterclasses as well as privately, and in 2023 was broadcasted live on BBC Radio 3 together with James Ehnes, playing a selection of Bartok Duos. In 2025, she went on a US tour with Grammy award winning guitarist, Jason Vieaux, and president of the Curtis Institute, Roberto Diaz.  Emmalena has also been recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London on multiple occasions.

As an orchestral player, Emmalena is currently Concertmaster of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, working regularly and closely with Osmo Vanska and Yannick Nezet-Seguin, and is also the Associate Concertmaster of Symphony in C (New Jersey). In 2024, she was the concertmaster of the Tanglewood Festival Orchestra for their performance of Strauss’s Also Sprach Zarathustra under Andris Nelsons. Bachtrack reported that her solo lines throughout were “handled with a rarefied Viennese Air”. In 2025, she was concertmaster at the Shostakovich Festival in Leipzig for their performance of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 9 and No. 12, also under Andris Nelsons.

Emmalena has been supported by the Australian Music Foundation since 2022.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME*

Quarter-final (Round I):
Bach – Sonata No. 2 in A minor, Grave and Fuga
Prokofiev – Violin Sonata No.2
Tchaikovsky – Valse Sentimentale
Ysaye – Caprice d’apres l’etude en forme de valse de Saint Saëns

Quarter-finals (Round II):
Salina Fisher – Commissioned work for solo violin
Paganini – Caprice No.11
Bartok – Rhapsody No.1
Grieg – Violin Sonata No.2

Semi-finals (Round III):
Dvorak – Piano Quintet (Henle Edition)

Grand Final:
Sibelius – Violin Concerto (Kalmus Edition)

*Subject to change

Yeonoo Jeong is currently a violin major at Seoul National University, where she studies under violinists Jaeyoung Kim and Solan Lee. Before entering university, she attended the Seoul Arts High School, where she was admitted as the top student of her class and graduated with the highest honors. During her time there, she was selected to perform as a soloist in the school’s annual regular concerts in both 2023 and 2024.

Yeonoo has appeared as a soloist with several orchestras including the Seocho Philharmonic Orchestra in its New Year’s Concert and  the Seoul National University College of Music Orchestra for its annual Concerto Night.

Throughout her musical training, Yeonoo has participated in a wide range of competitions. She received the 16th Shinhan Music Award and earned first prize at the Rising Stars Grand Prix International Music Competition in Berlin. She was recognized with top prizes in many national competitions, including the KCO Competition, Eumyeon Competition, Seoul Arts High School Concerto and Chamber Competitions, Gwangju Youth Competition, Ewha & Kyunghyang Competition, and various competitions presented by the Korea Performing Artists Association and the World Journal.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME*

Quarter-final (Round I):
Bach – Sonata No.2 in A minor, BWV 1003, Grave and Fugue
Paganini – Caprice No.7
Fisher – Commissioned piece for solo violin
Ysaÿe – Sonata No.6

Quarter-final (Round II):
Prokofiev – Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 80
Wieniawski – Faust Fantasy

Semi-final (Round III):
Dvořák – Piano Quintet No.2 in A major, Op. 81 (Bärenreiter edition)

Grand Final:
Bartók – Violin Concerto No.2 (Boosey & Hawkes Edition)

*Subject to change

Hyein Koo began playing the violin at the age of eight and gained early recognition when she won first prize at the Hankook Children’s Daily Music Competition. Two years later, she made her international debut in Dubai, UAE, in a performance sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of South Korea. Since then, she has received top prizes at major competitions, including the CBS, TBC, Eumyoun, Strad Korea, and Gimpo Philharmonic Orchestra Competitions, as well as The Mayor’s Award at the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra Competition. Her honors also include prizes from the HKGNA International Music Competition, the South Korea World Times Music Competition, and the Music Association of Korea Competition, and she was most recently named a semifinalist at the 2025 Mirecourt International Violin Competition in France.

As a soloist, Koo has performed with orchestras such as the New World Philharmonic Orchestra, Gyeongsangbuk-do Philharmonic Orchestra, Seoul National University String Ensemble, and Spera Soloists. She has appeared on prestigious stages including Carnegie Hall, Alice Tully Hall, the Seoul Arts Center, Lotte Concert Hall, the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts recipient and as a full scholarship recipient at the Aspen Music Festival.

Equally passionate about chamber music, Koo has performed in the GMC Summer Music Festival, the Juilliard Chamber Concert Series, and Seoul National University’s Spirit of SNU Strings. She has also collaborated internationally, appearing in the Colburn School & Seoul Arts High School Joint Concert in Los Angeles.

Her orchestral experience includes serving as principal second violin of the Juilliard Orchestra and as concertmaster and principal violin at Seoul National University.

Koo is currently pursuing a Master of Musical Arts degree at the Yale School of Music under Soovin Kim. She previously earned her Master of Music at The Juilliard School under Ronald Copes and her Bachelor of Music at Seoul National University, where she studied with Ju-young Baek and Ji-won Moon.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME*

Quarter-finals (Round I):
Bach – Violin Sonata No.2, Grave and Fuga
Beethoven – Violin sonata No.4 in A minor, Op. 23
Saint-Saens – Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso

Quarter-finals (Round II):
Young-jo Lee – Honzanori for solo violin
Paganini – Caprice No.11
Fisher – Commissioned work for solo violin
Faure – Violin sonata No.1 in A major

Semi-final (Round III):
Shostakovich – Piano Quintet (IMC edition)

Grand Final:
Mendelssohn – Violin Concerto (IMC edition)

*Subject to change

Hairui Lei  began studying the violin at the age of seven. In 2016, he was admitted to the Affiliated Primary School of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, where he studied with Wei Yun. He has also received guidance from distinguished violinists including Gidon Kremer, Boris Kuschnir, Hu Kun, Pierre Amoyal, Li Weigang, and Ning Feng.

Lei has performed in major venues such as the Shanghai Concert Hall, He Luting Concert Hall at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Shanghai Oriental Art Center, Mozart Music Hall, Zhuhai Huafa & CPAA Grand Theatre, and the Sendai Hitachi Concert Hall.

He has received numerous awards in national and international competitions. In 2016, he won First Prize in the Children’s Division of the National Youth Music Competition – Hummingbird Music Award (Shanghai region). In 2017, he was awarded First Prize in the Professional Elementary School Division at the Vienna International String Competition (Shanghai region), as well as Third Prize in the Children’s Professional Division at the Hong Kong International Violin Competition. In 2021, he received Second Prize at the EuroAsia International Violin Competition. In 2025, he was the finalist at the 9th Sendai International Violin Competition.

In 2022, Lei was admitted to the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studies with Pamela Frank and Shmuel Ashkenasi. In addition to violin, he also studies piano, harmony, and composition.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME*

Quarter-final (Round I):
Bach – Violin Sonata No.2 in A minor, Grave and Fugue
Paganini – Caprice No.17
Fisher – Commissioned work for solo violin
Wieniawski – Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 15

Quarter-final (Round II):
Brahms – Violin Sonata No.1 in G major, Op. 78
Bartok – Rhapsody No.1 for Violin and Piano, Sz. 86
Saint-Saëns – Camille Caprice d’apres l’etude en forme de Valse, Op. 52, No.6 (arranged by Ysaÿe)

Semi-final (Round III):
Schumann – Piano Quintet, Op. 44 (Henle version)

Grand Final:
Shostakovich – Violin Concerto (Sikorski version)

*Subject to change

Praised for his exquisite sound and expressive artistry, violinist Tianyou Ma has established himself as one of the outstanding musicians of his generation. He is a top prize winner at the Sendai International Music Competition, Singapore International Violin Competition (also recipient of the Bach Prize), Menuhin International Violin Competition (also recipient of the Bach Prize), Barbash Bach Competition, and Postacchini Competition.

As a soloist, Tianyou has appeared with major orchestras including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra, Webern Kammerphilharmonie, and Adelaide Symphony Orchestra. He has collaborated with leading chamber ensembles such as the Dover Quartet, Rosamunde Quartet, and Ysaÿe String Quartet, and has been featured at festivals including the Verbier Festival Academy (as both soloist and chamber musician), Gstaad Strings Academy, Music@Menlo International Program, and the Internationale Sommerakademie der mdw.

This spring, Tianyou will continue pursuing the prestigious Artistic Diploma program at The Juilliard School under the tutelage of Catherine Cho, with whom he also serves as Teaching Assistant. He recently completed his Master of Music at Juilliard as a Kovner Fellowship recipient, where the school awarded him the William Schuman Prize for outstanding achievement and leadership.

Tianyou’s musical path has been shaped by the support of many scholarships and fellowships. He studied at the Curtis Institute of Music on full scholarship with Pamela Frank and Shmuel Ashkenasi, where he was awarded the 2023 Milka Violin Artist Prize and spoke as a commencement speaker. His early training began at the Elder Conservatorium of Music in Adelaide, Australia, under Keith Crellin, before continuing at The Yehudi Menuhin School in the U.K. with Diana Galvydyte, where he was also supported by the UK’s Music and Dance Scheme.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME*

Quarter-final (Round I):
Bach – Violin Sonata No.3 in C major, BWV 1005
Paganini – Caprice No.2
Ravel – Violin Sonata No.2, M.77 

Quarter-final (Round II):
Faure – Violin Sonata No.1 in A major, Op. 13
Fisher – Commissioned work for solo violin
Paganini – Variations on ‘I palpiti’ Op.13 

Semi-final (Round III):
Schumann – Piano Quintet in E-flat major (Henle edition)

Grand Final:
Sibelius – Violin Concerto (Kalmus edition)

*Subject to change

Australian-born violinist Leanne McGowan is currently in based in Berlin where she is studying with Prof. Stephan Picard at the Hanns Eisler Hochschule für Musik Berlin.

She has performed as a soloist and chamber musician all throughout Australia, Europe, Canada and the United States, being invited to festivals such as the Heidelberger Frühling, Kronberg Academy “Chamber Music Connects the World”, Gstaad Academy Festival, Marvão Academy, Kronberg Violin & Viola Masterclasses, Festival Academy Budapest, Keshet Eilon Mastercourse, Villars Music Academy, New York String Orchestra Seminar, Aspen Music Festival and Chisel Creek Classical. Her chamber music partners have included musicians such as Antje Weithaas, Gidon Kremer, Miklós Perényi, Nicolas Altstaedt, Henning Kraggerud, Tatjana Masurenko, Arnaud Sussman and Tessa Lark.

As a soloist, Leanne has performed with orchestras such as the Sendai Philharmonic,  Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Northern Rivers Symphony, Preston Symphony, South Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and Melbourne Conservatorium’s Camerata Orchestra.

Leanne’s artistry has been acknowledged with many prizes, including 1st Prizes at the Dorcas McClean Travelling Scholarship for Violinists and Queensland Symphony Orchestra’s Young Instrumentalists Prize, 2nd prize at the Le Prix de la Fondation Maurice Ravel, and “Most Promising Player” at the Gisborne International Violin Competition, among others.

A keen and versatile chamber musician with varied artistic interests, Leanne plays regularly with ensembles such as the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, Stegreif Orchester, Berlin Philharmonic and Australian Chamber Orchestra.

Leanne has previously studied at the Colburn Conservatory of Music with Robert Lipsett and the Australian National Academy of Music with Dr Robin Wilson. Her previous teachers also include Spiros Rantos and Yuri Djachenko. She has received other important musical impulses from Ana Chumanchenco, Christoph Poppen, Mihaela Martin, Kolja Blacher, Kristof Barati and Vadim Gluzman.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME*

Quarter-final (Round I):
Bach – Sonata No.1 in G minor, Adagio and Fuga
Beethoven – Sonata No.8
Ysaye – Sonata No.5

Quarter-finals (Round II):
Salina Fisher – Commissioned work for solo violin
Paganini – Caprice No.11
Sutherland – Nocturne
Ravel – Sonata No.2

Semi-final (Round III):
Schumann – Piano Quintet in E-flat (Henle Verlag)

Grand Final:
Brahms – Violin Concerto (Bärenreiter Urtext Edition)

*Subject to change

Jakow Pavlenko studied with Prof. Ina Kertscher at the HMTM Hannover from 2013 to 2022 and since 2022 has been a student of Prof. Antje Weithaas at the Hanns Eisler Berlin. He has participated in masterclasses with Viktor Tretjakov, Ana Chumacenco and Julia Fischer and has performed with renowned musicians such as Mischa Maisky.

In February 2017, the German Music Foundation honoured him as the youngest prize winner of the 25th competition of the German Musical Instruments Fund and also provided him with an instrument, currently a violin by Giuseppe Ornati, Milan 1924, from the collection of the Federal Republic of Germany.

In May 2021, he was the youngest participant to win second prize and several special prizes at the Odessa International Violin Competition and the international Viktor Tretjakov Violin Competition in Krasnoyarsk. In 2024, he won the prize for the best interpretation of the commissioned piece at the Stuttgart International Violin Competition.

Pavlenko has performed with the Göttingen Symphony Orchestra, the Baden-Baden Philharmonic and the Odessa Symphony Orchestra. He has been a guest at the Beethovenfest in Bonn, the Ludwigsburg Festival, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, the Ludwigsburg Music Festival, the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival, the Hitzacker Music Week and the Rheingau Music Festival, and he has performed in concert halls such as the Great Hall of the Berlin Philharmonic, the Great Hall of the Elbphilharmonie and the Pierre Boulez Hall.

In 2024 Jakow played his first solo tour in Japan. Since 2024, he has been a scholarship holder of the Cusanuswerk, and since 2025 he has been a scholarship holder in the concert promotion programme of the German Music Council.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME*

Quarter-finals (Round I):
Bach – Solo Sonata No.1 in G minor, BWV 1001 – Adagio, Fuga
Fisher – Commissioned piece for solo violin
Schubert – Rondo for Violin and Piano in B minor, D. 895
Ernst – “Der Erlkönig“ for Violin Solo, Op. 26

Quarter-finals (Round II):
Paganini – Caprice No.24
Franck – Sonata for Violin and Piano in A major
Ravel – Tzigane

Semi-final (Round III):
Schumann – Piano Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 44 (Henle Edition)

Grand Final:
Sibelius – Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47 (Robert Lienau Edition)

*Subject to change

Russian-Greek violinist Alexey Stychkin comes from a lineage steeped in rich musical and artistic heritage. His deep passion for a wide spectrum of music and culture, nurtured from early childhood, continues to shape his open and expressive artistic voice.

Born in Moscow, Alexey began his violin studies at the Central Music School for Gifted Children with Galina Tourchaninova and later Eduard Grach. He moved to Belgium to study with Marc Bouchkov at the Liège Royal Conservatory and is currently pursuing a Master’s degree at the Barenboim-Said Academy under Professor Mihaela Martin.

In the 2022–23 season, Alexey was selected as an academy artist in the first violin section of the Staatskapelle Berlin, performing under  conductors including Daniel Barenboim, Zubin Mehta, Christian Thielemann, Antonello Manacorda, and Lorenzo Viotti.  He led the orchestra alongside Daniel Barenboim for the Academy’s 25th Anniversary. He also became the first musician ever chosen through the open application process for the Classeek Ambassador Programme.

Alexey’s solo debut was at the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory with the Moscow State Orchestra. He has since appeared as soloist with the GUSO Orchestra (Ghent), the Russian Philharmonic and musicians of Villa Musica. As concertmaster, he has toured with the Klassische Philharmonie Bonn, led the Hamburg Camerata and Aalborg Symphony Orchestra.

A committed chamber musician, Alexey has collaborated with Kirill Gerstein, Marc Bouchkov, Kian Soltani, Kristof Barati, Stephan Dohr, and others, performing at festivals such as Aix-en-Provence, Vebier, Erfurt Music Festival, and the Leopold Auer Festival.

A prize winner of the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians and the Henry Vieuxtemps Competition. Alexey also composes across genres from electronic to orchestral music.

He plays a 1740 Carlo Antonio Testore violin generously loaned by the Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME*

Quarter-final (Round I):
Bach – Sonata No.1 in G minor for Solo Violin, BWV 1001, Adagio and Fuga
Paganini – Caprice No.9 in E major, Op. 1
Fisher – Commissioned work for solo violin
Bouchkov – Fantaisie for Solo Violin

Quarter-final (Round II):
Poulenc – Sonata for Violin and Piano, FP 119
Prokofiev – Sonata No.1 in F minor for Violin and Piano, Op. 80

Semi-final (Round III):
Dvořák – Piano Quintet No.2 in A major, Op. 81, B. 155 (Bärenreiter Edition)

Grand Final:
Tchaikovsky – Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35

*Subject to change

As a soloist and chamber musician, Maxim Tzekov has been a guest at international concert halls and festivals such as the Musikverein and Konzerthaus Vienna, the Philharmonie Luxembourg, the Victoria Hall Geneva, the Bregenz Festival, the Sofia Music Weeks, the Carinthian Summer Music Festival and the Cello Biennale Amsterdam. He has performed with the Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz, the Concertino Ensemble Augsburg, the Symphony Orchestra of the HfMT Hamburg, the Camerata UNAB in Chile, and the Classic FM Radio Orchestra Sofia. His chamber music partners in recent years include Lukas Sternath, Maximilian Kromer, Jaemin Han, Julian Trevelyan & Julia Hagen.

Maxim Tzekov is the winner of the International Violin Competition ‘Kloster Schöntal’ 2019, where he also received the Bach Special Prize, as well as the Alberto Lysy Competition 2020 in Gstaad and the Stephanie Hohl Competition 2021 in Vienna. As prizewinner of the competition of the German Musical Instrument Fund 2025 and scholarship holder of the Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben, he plays the violin ‘ex-Kingman’, made by G. B. Guadagnini in Parma in 1769.

Since 2023 he has been part of Ulf Wallin’s violin class at the Hochschule für Musik “Hanns Eisler” Berlin. Previously, he studied with Lieke te Winkel in Vienna (mdw) since 2015.

Further studies led him to Gerhard Schulz, Annette Bik, Sebastian Gürtler and Tanja Becker-Bender. He attended master classes at the Kronberg Academy and the Keshet Eilon String Mastercourse with Vadim Gluzman, Chaim Taub, Benjamin Schmid, Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, Stephan Picard, Ingolf Turban, and Mihaela Martin, among others. In July 2023, 24 & 25 he was an Academist of the Seiji Ozawa International Academy Switzerland.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME*

Quarter-final (Round I):
Bach – Grave & Fuga from Sonata No. 2 in A minor
Paganini – Caprice in G minor, Op. 1, No.10
Ysaÿe – Sonata in D minor “Ballade”, Op.27, No.3
Debussy – Sonata for Violin and Piano in G minor

Quarter-final (Round II):
Schubert – Sonata for violin and piano in A Major, D 574
Fisher – Commissioned piece for solo violin
Heuberger / F. Kreisler – Midnight bells (Geh’n wir ins chamber Séparée) from “Der Opernball”
Wieniawski – Fantasy on Themes from “Faust”, Op. 20

Semi-final (Round III):
Schumann – Piano Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 44 (Henle Edition)

Grand Final:
Dvořák – Violin Concerto in A minor, Op. 53 (Henle Edition)

*Subject to change

Born in China, Dindin Jingyi Wang began playing the violin at the age of three. At the age of 12, she became the youngest ever winner of the Australian Kendall National Violin Competition.

Dindin was accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia at age 15, where she currently studies with Shmuel Ashkenasi and Pamela Frank.

Previously, she held the Kohl Scholarship at the Colburn Music Academy in Los Angeles and also studied in Melbourne, Australia. Her previous teachers include Margaret Batjer, Ida Kavafian, Fintan Murphy, and Xiaofang Shen.

Dindin was awarded Second Prize at the 2022 Chicago International Violin Competition, and Third Prize at the 2024 New York Classic Violin Competition. In 2025, she was the First Prize winner of the Australian Dorcas McClean Traveling Scholarship, the Australian Youth Classical Music Competition, and the Zhuhai Hengqin Mozart International Violin Competition.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME*

Quarter-finals (Round I):
Bach – Sonata No.2 in A minor, Grave & Fugue
Paganini – Caprice No.2
Fisher – Commissioned piece for solo violin
Dvorak – Four Romantic Pieces No.1
Wieniawski – Faust Fantasy 

Quarter-finals (Round II):
Chausson – Poem
Grieg – Sonata No.3 

Semi-finals (Round III):
Schumann – Piano Quintet in E-flat major (Henle Edition)

Grand Final:
Brahms Violin Concerto (Henle Edition)

*Subject to change

18 year old Julia-Xiaozhuo Wang has already made a name for herself in numerous international competitions. She became the youngest major prize winner at the second Stuttgart International Violin Competition. She was awarded second prize at the Cooper International Violin Competition and has also won awards as the youngest participant in several other prestigious international competitions, including the International Classical Strings Competition and the Karol Szymanowski&Heinrich Ernst International Violin Competition. Her accolades also include first prize at the Grumiaux International Violin Competition, the top award at the Zhuhai Mozart International Competition and third prize at the Wieniawski-Lipinski Violin Competition.

Julia-Xiaozhuo has performed with renowned orchestras, including the Stuttgart Philharmonic Orchestra, the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra, the Baden-Baden Philharmonic, the Salzburg Chamber Soloists, the ProMusica Orchestra, the Orchestra del ‘Accademia d’Arte Arrigoni and the Wubian Chamber Orchester.

She has collaborated with numerous distinguished artists, including Ariel Zuckermann, Sergey Smbatyan, Giancarlo Guarino, Norman Huynh, Paul Rivinius, Thomas Hoppe and the Lotus Quartet.

Her solo performances have shone at various international music festivals, including her collaboration with the Armenian National Symphony Orchestra at the Armenian International Music Festival during the 2023/2024 season, the opening ceremony of the ISA International Music Festival 2021, as well as appearances at Austria’s “Licht ins Dunkel” TV program, the Holzhauser Musiktage in Germany, the International Music Festival of Cervo and the Chieti International Music Festival in Italy.

Julia-Xiaozhuo began her musical journey at the age of three. She moved to Vienna at 12 to continue her study. She’s currently studying with Ingolf Turban at the University for Music and Theater Munich and is a scholarship recipient of the Music Academy Liechtenstein.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME*

Quarter-finals (Round I):
Bach – Sonata No.2 in A minor for Solo Violin, BWV 1003, Grave and Fuga
Paganini – Caprice No.7 in A minor, Op. 1
Fisher – Commissioned Work for Solo Violin
Robert Schumann / Fritz Kreisler – Phantasy in C major, Op. 131
Jingping Zhang – Harvest Celebration

Quarter-finals (Round II):
Prokofiev – Sonata for Violin and Piano No.1 in F minor, Op. 80
Wieniawski – Variations on an Original Theme, Op. 15

Semi-final (Round III):
Schumann – Piano Quintet in E-flat major, Op. 44

Grand Final:
Brahms – Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77

*Subject to change

Ruiyi Wang studied under Professor Huang Chenxing, and, in 2021, he was admitted to the Shanghai Conservatory of Music with the first place in the violin major.

He has given solo concerts at Shenzhen Concert Hall, Zhuhai Grand Theatre, Menuhin Concert Hall, He Luting Concert Hall, Qingdao Concert Hall, Poly Grand Theatre and other places.

Ruiyi achieved first place in the China Division of the 2023 Hachaturian International Violin Competition, First Prize of Qingdao National Violin Competition, and First Prize in the Professional Youth Group of the 14th Hong Kong International Violin Competition 2024.

In 2024, he won the second prize in the Russian “Yamal Symphony” International Competition for Young Musicians, and Third Prize in the 31st Andrea Postacchini International Violin Competition, Category D.

Ruiyi was invited to participate in the opening concert of the 39^th and 40^th Shanghai Spring International Music Festival, and performed with the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra as a soloist.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME*

Quarter-final (Round I):
Bach – Violin Sonata No.1 in G minor, Adagio & Fuga
Paganini – Violin Caprices No.24 in A minor, Op. 1
Brahms – Violin Sonata No.2 in A major, Op. 100
Ravel – Tzigane  

Quarter final (Round II):
Franck – Violin Sonata in A major, FWV 8
Saint-Saëns – Camille (arranged by Ysaÿe) Caprice d’apres l’etude en forme de Valse, Op. 52, No.6
Fisher – Commissioned work for solo violin

Semi-final (Round III):
Schumann – Piano Quintet in E flat major, Op. 44 

Grand Final:
Tchaikovsky – Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35

*Subject to change

Born in Taiwan, Sophie Wang received her first violin lesson at the age of five. She studied under Rainer Kussmaul, Igor Ozim, Boris Kuschnir, Nora Chastain and Pierre Amoyal. Currently, she studies in Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin with Ning Feng.

She gained international attention since she won the First Prize at International Louis Spohr Violin Competition in Weimar (2013). She has also been awarded First Prize at International Violin Competition Andrea Postacchini (2014), First Prize at International Paul Hindemith Violin Competition in Berlin (2011) and First Prize at International Wolfgang Marschner Competition in Freiburg (2010). Furthermore, she is winner of CHIMEI Museum & Culture Foundation Arts Award 2016 und 2017 and the Carl Flesch-Prize of the Carl Flesch Academy Baden-Baden (2011).

Since making her debut in Festspielhaus Baden-Baden at the age of ten, she has appeared in various concert halls such as Konzerthaus Berlin, Konzerthaus Dortmund, Festspielhaus Bregenz, Tonhalle Zurich, Shenzhen Concert Hall and National Concert Hall Taipei. As a soloist, she has performed with the Südwestdeutsche Philharmonie Konstanz, Staatskapelle Weimar, Duisburger Philharmoniker, Philharmonie Baden-Baden, Philharmonie Jena, Neue Philharmonie Frankfurt, Evergreen Symphony Orchestra, National Symphony Orchestra Taiwan (NSO), Südwestdeutsche Kammerphilharmonie Pforzheim, Zürcher Kammerorchester Folkwang Kammerorchester Essen, Mitteldeutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Salzburg Chamber Soloists and Chaarts Chamber Artists. Her recent solo engagements include the Duisburger Philharmoniker, Folkwang Kammerorchester Essen, the Evergreen Symphony and  Chaarts Chamber Artists.

Sophie has attended Schleswig-Holstein Musik Festival, Kronberg Academy Festival, Menuhin Festival Gstaad, Festspiele Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and Krzyzowa Music.

In 2016, she made her debut at Spannungen Heimbach Chamber Music Festival. Her chamber music partners have included Jana Bouskova, Gustav Rivinius, Alexander Rudin and Antje Weithaas.

Since 2018, she has been supported by Mozart Gesellschaft Dortmund, associated with the Prize of Artur und Lieselotte Dumcke Stiftung. Futhermore, she is supported by CHIMEI Museum & Culture Foundation.

Sophie performs on a Camillo Camilli violin 1745 on a generous loan from CHIMEI Foundation.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME*

Quarter-finals (Round I):
Bach – Adagio and Fuga from Sonata No.1 in G minor, BWV 1001
Paganini – Caprice No.17, Op. 1
Ysaye – Solo Sonata No.3 “Ballade”
Fisher – Commissioned piece for Solo Violin
Schubert – Rondo Brilliant in B minor, D.895

Quarter-finals (Round II):
Brahms Sonata No.3 in D minor, Op. 108
Schoenberg – Phantasy for Violin and Piano, Op. 46
Waxman – Carmen Fantasy

Semi-finals (Round III):
Schumann – Piano Quintet Op. 44 (Henle edition)

Grand Final:
Brahms – Concerto in D major (Henle edition)

*Subject to change

Xunyue Zhang is the winner of the 2nd Prize and the Special Prize for the Best Mozart Interpretation at the 8th International Violin Competition Henri Marteau 2023 in Germany, as well as the 3rd Prize and three special awards at the Lipizer International Violin Competition 2022 in Italy, and the 2nd Prize of the Ibolyka Gyarfas Foundation Violin Competition 2021.

As a soloist, Xunyue has performed in Germany, Italy, and China with orchestras such as the Hofer Symphoniker, Munich Chamber Orchestra, Potsdam Chamber Academy, Karlovy Vary Symphony Orchestra, and the Shanghai Conservatory Symphony Orchestra. She has also given recitals in Berlin, Shanghai, and other cities.

She was selected to participate in masterclasses at the Kronberg Festival, at the Villecroze Music Academy, and at the Ettal International Summer Academy. She has worked Mihaela Martin, Ana Chumachenco, Kolja Blacher, Boris Kuschnir, and Oleh Krysa.

After her studies at the Affiliated Middle School of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Xunyue has continued her education at the Hanns Eisler School of Music in Berlin studying with Stephan Picard.

She performs on a violin by Andrea Guarneri, Cremona 1663, generously on loan from Deutsche Stiftung Musikleben.

COMPETITION PROGRAMME*

Quarter-finals (Round I):
Bach – Sonata No. 2 in A minor, BWV 1003, Grave and Fuga
Paganini – Caprice No. 24 in A minor, Op. 1
Gabriel Fauré – Violin Sonata No. 1 in A major, Op. 13

Quarter-finals (Round II):
Janáček – Sonata for Violin and Piano
Zhou Long – Taiping Drum (太平鼓)
Fisher – Commissioned work for solo violin
Ysaÿe – Caprice d’après l’Étude en forme de valse de Saint-Saëns, Op. 52, No.6

Semi-finals (Round III):
Dvořák – Piano Quintet No.2 in A major, Op. 81

Grand Final:
Brahms – Violin Concerto in D major

*Subject to change