Never before have so many applications to take part in the Hannover International Violin Competition been received at the Kuenstlerhaus in Hannover. But according to the Artistic Director of the Violin Competition, Professor Krzysztof Wegrzyn, who was in charge of the preselection procedure, it is above all the high standard of the young violinists that is so impressive.
Altogether, 20 young women and 15 young men from 17 nations have been invited to take part in the competition; three of them are Germans. The largest number of applications – 20 – came from Japan; six have been selected to take part. Eight artists have been invited from South Korea together with three Chinese and two Americans. Albania, Armenia and Israel will also be represented in Hannover from September 26 through October 10. A total of seven participants are studying or have studied in Germany, three of them at the University of Music and Drama Hannover.*
›The Hannover International Violin Competition has established itself as one of the most celebrated violin competitions in the world,‹ says the Secretary General of the Stiftung Niedersachsen (Foundation of Lower Saxony), Joachim Werren, explaining the increase in the number of applications. ›It has the reputation among young musicians of demanding a very high level of performance, but also of being absolutely fair. The augmentation of the rewards to be bestowed on prizewinners this year, through which the Stiftung Niedersachsen is seeking to further enhance the profile of the competition in the long term, has no doubt also served to make it more attractive from the applicants' point of view,‹ Werren continues.
The International Preselection Jury, which met in Hannover from July 1 – 5, was composed of Boris Kuschnir (Conservatoire Vienna Private University, University of Music and Dramatic Arts, Graz), Gyorgy Pauk (Royal Academy of Music, London), Ulf Schneider and Krzysztof Wegrzyn (both of the University of Music and Drama Hannover). ›The preselection procedure was intensely exciting!‹ says Boris Kuschnir. ›The large number of applications reflects the fact that Hannover is among the most important violin competitions in the world. With the competitors that have been selected, the world may look forward to a jamboree of musical performances on the highest level.‹
For all past laureates, winning a prize in Hannover opened the doors to a successful career. It was thanks to her victory in Hannover that Antje Weithaas, who won the first Hannover International Violin Competition in 1991 and today is a professor at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin, made her musical breakthrough. The Winners of the First Prizes in the competitions from 1994 to 2006 – Robert Chen, Michiko Kamiya, Frank Huang, Nemanja Radulovic and Suyoen Kim – are also in great demand internationally, regularly issuing recordings, being engaged by well-known festivals and giving concerts with outstanding orchestras. Suyoen Kim, Winner of the First Prize in 2006, will appear with the Lower Saxony State Orchestra in Hannover‘s Opera House at the Competition's opening concert on September 26, 2009, playing Alexander Glasunov's Violin Concerto op. 42.
Advance ticket sales for the events of the Hannover International Violin Competition will start throughout the country on August 3: tickets will be available from ticket offices and at www.violin-competition.de. The performances of all the participating violinists will be broadcast by live stream and made available as archive files on the same website. In addition, background material in the form of video diaries will be produced during the competition, and will also be accessible online.
The 2009 Participants are: Miroslav Ambroš (Czech Republic), Birthe Blom (Netherlands), David Coucheron (Norway), Luis Esnaloa (Spain), Yusuke Hayashi (Japan), Noé Inui (Greece), Yoo Jin Jang (South Korea), Stephanie Jeong (USA), Jonian-Ilia Kadesha (Albania), Clara-Jumi Kang (Germany/South Korea), Byol Kang (Germany), Haik Kazazyan (Armenia/Russia), Yevgeny Kutik (USA), Hyuk Joo Kwun (South Korea), Li Lao (China), Yura Lee (South Korea), Mari Lee (South Korea), Šimon Michal (Czech Republic), Fumiaki Miura (Japan), Sayaka Nagahara (Japan), Nadja Nevolovitsch (Germany), Solenne Païdassi (France), Hyeyoon Park (South Korea), Yoonshin Song (South Korea), Vlad Stanculeasa (Romania), Airi Suzuki (Japan), Mai Suzuki (Japan), Evgeny Sviridov (Russia), Chiharu Taki (Japan), Yan Tong (China), Jing Wang (Canada), Ying Xue (China), Jung Yoon Yang (South Korea), Eun-Sol Youn (South Korea), Itamar Zorman (Israel).*
The Hannover International Violin Competition – dedicated to Joseph Joachim – was founded in 1991 and is presented every three years by the Stiftung Niedersachsen in cooperation with the University of Music and Drama Hannover, the NDR (North German Broadcasting) and the Hannover State Opera. The Hannover International Violin Competition is a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions, Geneva, and takes place from September 26 through October 10, 2009.
Further information, including on previous Prize Winners and press accreditation, is available at www.violin-competion.de. Media queries can be directed to Anke Schauer +49 (0)511 - 990 54 18 or by email to: schauer@violin-competition.de.
* updated: August 20, 2009