Italy's Piccolo Violino Magico Competition Awards 2024 Prizes

11-year-old Hyunsuk Ryu has won first prize and €5,000

The Piccolo Violino Magico Competition in San Vito al Tagliamento has recently come to a close. The four finalists performed with the FVG Orchestra and Maestro Giancarlo Guarino.

The entire competition was streamed LIVE on The Violin Channel and is available to watch for playback, here. 

The First prize went to 11-year-old Hyunsuk Ryu, who will receive a scholarship worth €5,000, and a violin made by contemporary Italian luthier Fabio Piagentini, valued at €9,000.

Second prize and €3,000 went to Baiyi  Tao, while Third prize Ex Aequo was given to both Margaryta Pochebut and Yunduo Li, who will each get €1,500.

This year’s four finalists will also receive a personalized string workshop with Larsen Strings plus one year of string supplies.

The jury, with President Pavel Vernikov, includes Sophie Besancon, Anna-Liisa Bezrodny, Nazareno Carusi, Maja Jokanovic, Sunny Lee, and Yuan Tian.

A student of Sunny Lee, Hyunsuk Ryu currently attends the Seoul Central Conservatory Prodigy Class. He is a former first prize winner at the 4th International Music Competition Małopolska 2024, a winner of the Paris Music Forum Young Artist Award, second prize winner at the Osaka International Music Competition String Category, and a Special Award recipient at the Poland Łańcut Scholarship.

He has also been honored at the Strad Competition, Hankook Ilbo Music Competition, Chunchu Concour, Young Soloists Competition, Nanpa Music Competition, and the Eden Classic Winners Concert.

He has played in masterclasses with Gyehee Kim, Wonhee Bae, Sungsic Yang, Mi-kyung Lee, Jaeseong Jeon, Sanghee Cheong, Soovin Kim, Asako Urushibara, David Kim, Ian Swensen, Ioana Cristina Goicea, Kazuki Sawa, Masafumi Hori, Maxim Vengerov, Peter Schuhmayer, and Igor Petrushevski.