2020 Semi Finals Program download
Kendall National Violin Competition Finalists
Following the semi-finals of the Kendall National Violin Competition on Sunday, December 6 at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, the competition is excited to announce the seven finalists invited to perform in Kendall on March 6 2021.
Category A (violinists born after January 1 2002)
Grace Wu | Hugh Matthews | Teresa Yang
Category B (violinists born after January 1 1995 and before January 1 2002)
Tim Yu | Mark Chen | Dominic Azzi | David Carreon
The Artistic Director of the competition, Goetz Richter, said: “The past months have been particularly difficult for musicians – they also reminded us how important live musical performance is to our humanity and culture. To present a live national violin competition six days after borders opened, with performers from Victoria, NSW and Queensland should be a great signal of hope and optimism to young musicians. Each one of the fifteen semi-finalists thrilled a capacity audience today with their artistry, passion and technical skill.”
Earlier this year the 21st Kendall National Violin Competition had been postponed twice as the competition made a decision to present only live performances. It is the first in an expanded format of two age categories.
The judges of the semi-final round were Andrew Haveron (Concert Master of Sydney Symphony), Liisa Pallandi (Violinist Australian Chamber Orchestra) and Dr. Susan Collins (Senior lecturer, Conservatorium of Music, University of Tasmania)
Watermark Composition Prize Winner
The competition also announced composer Elizabeth Younan as the recipient of the Watermark Composition prize for her work “Microsonata” for Violin and Piano". The work will be performed by all finalists in category B in March 2021.
Composer Gerard Brophy, one of the judges who blind-reviewed entries for the prize commended the composer for a substantial work with a clear, effective, ternary architecture. “It provides the perfect canvas for the engaging display of techniques that make up the fabric of the piece” Brophy said. “There is a good balance between technical bravura and expressive intention. The interaction between the violin and piano is effectively rendered and this underpins the excitement of the agitato section as it propels the piece relentlessly towards its exciting conclusion.”
Marlene Ito, Principal Violinist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and a Kendall National Violin Competition winner from 2003 praised the work for its violinistic nature as well as its artistic conception and its musical direction.
The Kendall National Violin Competition celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2018 and has established itself as one of Australia’s foremost performance opportunities for young violinists. Past finalists and winners of the Kendall National Violin Competition have embarked on impressive careers and the Competition is proud to have encouraged these talented artists on their way.
The Kendall National Violin Competition is supported by many generous supporters of the Hastings, Camden Haven and Mid North Coast communities and is administered by an honorary management committee based in Kendall.
Please support the competition with your donation. The Kendall National Violin Competition is a registered charity and donations are tax deductible.
KNVC 2020 KEY DATES
March 6-7 2021
KNVC Finals
Kendall School of Arts, Kendall
Featured finalists will be:
Category A
(violinists born after Jan 1 2002)
Grace Wu | Hugh Matthews | Teresa Yang
Category B
(violinists born after Jan 1 1995 and before Jan 1 2002)
Tim Yu | Mark Chen | Dominic Azzi | David Carreon
Watermark Composition Prize
Composer Elizabeth Younan is the recipient of the Watermark Composition Prize for her work “Microsonata II for violin & piano” for Violin and Piano. The work will be performed by all finalists in category B in March 2021.
PhiloMusica @ Kendall School of Arts
