Semi-Finalists Announced at France's 2021 Mirecourt Violin Competition

Postponed from 2020, due to the pandemic, the 2021 Competition is being held in Mirecourt, France from November 21 to 28

Open to international violinists 26 years of age and younger, the first prize winner will receive €5,000.

The 2021 semi-finalists are:

• Johnny Van Gend (Australia)
• Kim Gawon (South Korea)
• Larissa Cidlinsky (Germany)
• Qingzhu Weng (China)
• Victoria Wong (Australia)
• Yoko Ishikura (Japan)
• Yumiko Yumiba (Japan)
• Léa Al-Saghir (Switzerland)

For the first round, each candidate presented a series of movements from a Bach Solo Violin Sonata or Partita, a Paganini Solo Caprice and a contemporary French work for solo violin.

For the semi-final round, each candidate will perform a Schubert or Beethoven work for violin and piano, a French Violin and Piano Sonata, and a virtuoso piece of the performer's choice.

"Our aim every second year is to gather musicians, violin and bow makers and music lovers, to discover and promote talented young artists and instrument makers and to celebrate the notable history of French music, particularly that written in our great Lorraine region, from the 19th, 20th and now 21st Centuries," Artistic Director Marianne Piketty has said.

The Final Round will be held on the 28th of November with the Orchestre de l'Opéra national de Lorraine.

The 2021 jury will comprise Martin Beaver, Esther Hoppe, Dong-Suk Kang, Marianne Piketty, Marco Rizzi, Pavel Vernikov and VC Artist Sergey Malov.

2021 Mirecourt International Violin Competition Jury Members