Photo: MHIVC
Welcome to more highlights from the 2023 Michael Hill International Violin Competition. We're now in the second round of the competition, which was helo Queenstown at the Memorial Hall.
The atmosphere in Queenstown was very relaxed, and all the competitors supported each other. But it is a competition after all, so there had to be a panel of judges. They are James Ehnes from Canada; Ning Feng, from China, Bella Hristova from Bulgaria, Piers Lane from Australia, Natalia Lomeiko from Russia and New Zealand; Wilma Smith from New Zealand; and Anthony Marwood from the United kingdom. All of them are fantastic musicians at the top of their game.
Kingston Ho performs at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition 2023. Photo: James Roberts
So let’s dive right in. We start with a young American violinist, Kingston Ho. He opens his recital with a New Zealand piece, which was commissioned especially for this competition in 2023. The composer is Michael Norris. The work has a backing track, which consists of recordings of taonga puoro players. Then Kingston plays music by Paganini: Variations on Nel cor piu non mi sento.
Hani Song performs at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition in 2023. Photo: James Roberts
Next, we hear again from Hani Song from Switzerland. She plays us music by Sergei Prokofiev. It’s his violin Sonata No. 2. In D. Also on stage with her to perform it is Sarah Watkins at the piano.
Yeyeong Jenny Jin performs at the 2023 Michael Hill International Violin Competition in Queenstown. Photo: James Roberts
Next we have music by Beethoven. It’s played by Jenny Yeyeong Jin from South Korea, with Somi Kim at the piano. Together they play Sonata No. 7 Op. 30 number one. Then they'll play Introduction and Rondo capriccioso by Camille Saint-Saëns.
Gabrielle Després performs in Queenstown at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition. Photo: James Roberts
We have one more competitor in this program of highlights from the Michael Hill Violin Competition. So here now is Canadian violinist Gabrielle Després, with Sonata No. 8 in G Major Op., 30 number three, by Ludwig van Beethoven and Poèm by Ernest Chausson. She is accompanied by Sarah Watkins.
Music recorded at the Queenstown Memorial Hall on 4th June 2023.
Producer: Adrian Hollay
Engineer: Adrian Hollay
