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Frank Huang |
Frank Huang from the USA has won the first prize at the 2000 Hannover International Violin Competition. Late on the evening of November 17th, Jury Chairman Richard Jakoby announced the six prize-winners in the concert hall of the NDR State Broadcasting Center in Hannover, drawing to a close the two exciting days of final round competition, a true highlight of this year's competition.
The jury chose the Ukrainian violinist Andrei Bielow as second prize winner. The 18-year-old violin virtuoso receives an award of 30,000 German Marks. Third prize went to Arabella Steinbacher, who lives in Germany. Her prize is 20,000 Marks. Fourth to six prizes go to Joseph Lin (born in 1978, citizen of the USA), Baiba Skride (born in 1981, citizen of Latvia), Elina Vähälä (born in 1975, citizen of Finland).
The 22-year-old first prize winner performed Sibelius' Violin Concerto in d-minor, op. 47 to win the competition. He receives an award of 50,000 Marks, the production of a CD with NAXOS as well as debut recitals and concerts with orchestras and ensembles of international renown. He will be advised for two years by Cornelia Schmid of the Hans Ulrich Schmid Agency in Hannover, helping him on the path to an international solo career.
The members of the international jury had their hardest decision to make in the two-day final round, choosing the extraordinary violinist to win the competition's top prize. Now, after long hours of concentration in the concert halls, they too can sit back and enjoy the last day of this year's competition, the gala prize winners concert.
The official presentation of the prize winners takes place on the 18th of November in the NDR concert hall. The six violinists will be performing a concert program show-casing their achievements. The concert has been sold out for days.
One date on the winner's agenda is already set for the 2001 season. The Esther Honens International Piano Competition of Calgary, Canada, and the Hannover International Violin Competition are joining forces to present their laureates in an international concert. »The New Face of Classical Music« series will present the young artists in Europe and North America.
The Hannover International Violin Competition is dedicated to Joseph Joachim and is one of the largest of its kind world-wide. The fifth edition will be taking place from 5-18 October 2003.
For further information please consult www.violin-competition.de or call Katharina Pieczyk at Dievision Medienberatung (telephone +49-511-28 87 91-0).