Italy’s Lipizer International Violin Competition Announces Winners

Violinist Ruslan Talas from Kazakhstan was awarded first prize with €15,000 at the 41st edition of the competition 

Held from September 3–11, 2022, in Gorizia, Italy, the 41st Lipizer International Violin Competition announced its six prizewinners. Founded in 1982, the annual competition sees violinists aged 32 and under compete for the top prize. 

The first place “Rodolfo Lipizer Prize” with €15,000 was awarded to Ruslan Talas. He will collaborate with Italy’s Youth Musical Foundation, Crotone’s ACAM “Beethoven Society,” the Armenian State Orchestra of Yerevan, as well as perform in the Associazione Centro di Musica Unisono, Palazzo Guarnieri, Palazzo Betramini di Asolo, and go on tour to numerous locations.

Talas is the winner of many international competitions, including the 2022 WorldVision online music contest, International Tchaikovsky Youth Competition, Vietnam International Violin Competition, and Yankelevich International Violin Competition, among others. His mentors include Dutch violinist Janine Jansen. 

RUSLAN TALAS | 2022 LIPIZER INTERNATIONAL VIOLIN COMPETITION | FIRST PRIZE

Second prize, with €8,000, went to Wakana Kimura of Japan, who will also have the opportunity to perform as part of the “Elena Lipizer” concert season in Italy’s Lojze Bratuž Cultural Center. The €4,500 third prize was awarded to Japanese violinist Xunyue Zhang.

WAKANA KIMURA | 2022 LIPIZER INTERNATIONAL VIOLIN COMPETITION | SECOND PRIZE

MIO SASAKI | 2022 LIPIZER INTERNATIONAL VIOLIN COMPETITION | THIRD PRIZE

Fourth prize and €2,500 went to Swedish-Austrian violinist Lorenz Karls, while the €1,300 fifth and €700 sixth prizes went to Chinese violinists Siqi Yu and Mio Sasaki, respectively. 

Chaired by Andrea Mannucci, the jury comprised Ole Bøhn, Susan May Collins, Dominika Ewa Falger, Silvano Minella, Sergiu Schwartz, and Yoshiaki Shibata.