Photo: MHIVC
We are in Queenstown at the Memorial Hall, just down the road from the base station of the gondola. 2023 saw the return of the Michael Hill International Violin Competition. Due to the Covid pandemic, the event had to be cancelled in 2021. But this winter, two years later, it came back with a vengeance. 16 young violinists from around the world, flew into Queenstown to treat us to beautiful music making.
It is a competition with winners and musicians, who don’t win any prizes. But nevertheless, they are the some of best young violinists in the world. With that in mind, it’s all about music making and bringing enjoyment to the listeners.
Speaking of prizes, the first prize is quite substantial. It’s a big cash prize, plus a recording on the Atoll classical music label and a major tour through New Zealand with Chamber Music New Zealand, and also a performance with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra.
The judges of the competition are some of the best violin soloists on the globe. They include formal winners of the competition. And there’s a top pianist on the panel of judges as well. That’s Australian Piers Lane. He’s joined by Canadian James Ehnes, who has been to New Zealand a few times to perform with our orchestras; Ning Feng from China – he won this competition in 2005; Bulgarian Bella Hristova – another winner, she won in 2007; Natalia Lomeiko from Russia and New Zealand – another winner of this competition. She took out the grand price in 2003. Then also on the panel are Wilma Smith from New Zealand, who has been busy playing with pretty much everyone in Australia and New Zealand, including a long stint as concertmaster of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra; and to round up the panel of judges, violin soloists Anthony Marwood from the UK.
Kingston Ho performs at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition 2023. Photo: James Roberts
So here is the first of six programs of highlights from the Queenstown performances. It was quite hard to select the pieces, because quite frankly everything was fabulous. In this first round the violinist had to play a piece by Johann Sebastian Bach, a Caprice by Paganini, a violin showpiece, and a piece of their own choosing.
American violinist Kingston Ho with Somi Kim at the piano plays Elgar's La Capricieuse and Franz Waxman's Carmen Fantasy:
Hani Song performs at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition in 2023. Photo: James Roberts
Hani Song from Switzerland plays Heoten Garak by South Korean composer Geonyong Lee, and Bach's Sonata No1 in G, Adagio and Fuga.
Yeyeong Jenny Jin performs at the 2023 Michael Hill International Violin Competition in Queenstown. Photo: James Roberts
Yeyeong Jenny Jin from South Korea plays Variations On The Last Rose of summer for solo violin by Heinrich Ernst and then is joined by pianist Somi Kim for a short piece by Sibelius: Romance Op., 78, number 2.
Gabrielle Després performs in Queenstown at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition. Photo: James Roberts
Canadian violinist Gabrielle Després and pianist Sarah Watkins perform Tchaikovsky‘s Melody in E. Flat Major Op. 42 and Maurice Ravel’s Tzigane.
Eva Rabchevska at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition. Photo: James Roberts
Now we stay with the composer Ravel, but we change violinists. Next is Eva Rabchevska from Ukraine. She studies in Germany. She plays Piece en forme de Habanera. She’s joined on stage by pianist Somi Kim.
Then they play a piece by Ukrainian composer Miroslav Skoryk. It is called Spanish Dance.
Jiayi Chen performs at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition. Photo: James Roberts
Each competitor has to play a Caprice by Paganini. So here is one of those. It’s number 10 Op.1. It’s performed by Chinese violinist, Jiayi Chen. Then she's joined by pianist Sarah Watkins. Together they perform the first two movements of Sonata in A D. 574 by Franz Schubert.
Tainyu Liu performs at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition. Photo: James Roberts
And now we move on to another Chinese violinist, Tianyu Liu. He actually participated in the last Michael Hill International Violin Competition as well. Together with Somi Kim, he now performs Liszt’s Consolation No.3.
Karen Su performs at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition. Photo: James Roberts
And now to the last competitor of this first program of highlights from the 2023 in Michael Hill International Violin Competition. Here is one more piece by Bach. It’s performed here by American violinist, Karen Sue. She plays Ciaconna from Partita No2 in D minor. Then she's joined on stage by pianist Sarah Watkins to play Tchaikovsky’s Waltz Scherzo.
Producer: Adrian Hollay
Engineer: Adrian Hollay.
