COMPETITIONS

2 Lina Nakano

3 Gaeun Kim

4Jennifer Koh

NAKANO PHOTO COURTESY SENDAI INTERNATIONAL MUSIC COMPETITION. KIM PHOTO COURTESY KLEIN INTERNATIONAL STRING COMPETITION. KOH PHOTO JÜRGEN FRANK

1 Korean cellist Hayoung Choi, 24, has won the Queen Mathilde Grand Prize at the Queen Elisabeth International Music Competition. She receives €25,000 and various concert engagements. Choi is a former student of the Kronberg Academy and Berlin University of the Arts. Second prize and €20,000 was awarded to Chinese cellist Yibai Chen, 20, while third prize and €17,000 went to Estonian cellist Marcel Johannes Kits, 27. See report, page 24.

2 Japanese violinist Lina Nakano, 17, took first prize at the Sendai International Music Competition. The prize comes with JPY3m (£18,000) and recording and performance opportunities. She was also awarded the audience prize. Joint second prize went to Russian violinist Dennis Gasanov, 27, and Chinese violinist Tianyou Ma, 21, who each received £9,000. No third prize was awarded.

3 Korean cellist Gaeun Kim, 20, received the first prize at the Irving M. Klein International String Competition in San Francisco, CA, US. She won $13,000 and performance opportunities with several US orchestras. Kim is studying at the Juilliard School with Richard Aaron. A second prize of $6,300 was given to Korean violinist Jaewon Wee, 22, while third prize and $2,500 went to US violinist Andromeda Kepecs.

4 American violinist Jennifer Koh received the Eroica Award for Outstanding Service to Music in Philadelphia, PA, US, on 5 June. The award recognises advocacy for music, artistic excellence and leadership in all facets of the musical world, with a particular focus on championing under-represented groups. Koh created the Arco Collaborative to promote inclusivity in classical music. She is also a supporter of new works by under-represented composers.

APPOINTMENTS

British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason has been appointed the first Menuhin visiting professor of performance mentoring at London’s Royal Academy of Music

US violinist Emi Ohi Resnick has been named the North Netherlands Orchestra’s concertmaster

British cellist–composer Ayanna Witter-Johnson is now an ambassador and trustee for the London Music Fund

South Korean cellist Han-na Chang will become the Hamburg Symphony’s principal guest conductor

FORTHCOMING COMPETITIONS & AWARDS

Osaka International Chamber Music Competition in Osaka, Japan, for string quartets, piano trios and piano quartets aged under 40. First prize JPY2,500,000 (£16,000) Deadline 10 October; competition 12–18 May 2023 Web bit.ly/3PjaNTE

Chicago Violin Competition online, for violinists aged 7–28. First prize $5,000 Deadline 31 October; competition 20 November Web www.chicagoviolincompetition.org

Prague Spring International Music Competition in Prague, Czech Republic, for violists aged 30 or under. First prize CZK250,000 (£8,500) Deadline 1 December; competition 6–14 May 2023 Web bit.ly/37EqG6r

For current vacancies, see our online jobs page at www.thestrad.com/jobs