Prizes Awarded at Oberlin’s Cooper International Violin Competition

18-year-old Eric Charles Chen from the United States has been awarded 1st prize at the 2019 Thomas & Evon Cooper International Violin Competition

18-year-old Eric Charles Chen from the United States has been awarded 1st prize at the 2019 Thomas & Evon Cooper International Violin Competition – in Oberlin, Ohio, United States.

A student of 2019 jury member Naoko Tanaka and Cho Liang-Lin at The Juilliard School Pre-College program, Eric will receive US $20,000 – plus a full four-year scholarship to Oberlin Conservatory.

2nd and 3rd prizes were awarded to 14-year-old Shihan Wang from China - and 16-year-old Isabella Brown from the United States.

ERIC CHARLES CHEN & AKIKO CHIBA | 2019 COOPER INTERNATIONAL VIOLIN COMPETITON | RECITAL FINAL ROUND | 1ST-PRIZE | 18-YEARS-OLD

SHIHAN WANG & ALICJA BASINSKA | 2019 COOPER INTERNATIONAL VIOLIN COMPETITON | RECITAL FINAL ROUND | 2ND PRIZE | 14-YEARS-OLD

ISABELLA BROWN & ELIZABETH DEMIO | 2019 COOPER INTERNATIONAL VIOLIN COMPETITON | RECITAL FINAL ROUND | 3RD PRIZE | 16-YEARS-OLD

The 2019 jury comprised: Gregory Fulkerson (Chairman), Sibbi Bernhardsson, Radu Blidar, Yi Huang, Marilyn McDonald, Naoko Tanaka and Almita Vamos.

"What you heard from Eric was profound instrumental control and rhythmic understanding ... he understood the piece wonderfully," Competition Jury Chair Gregory Fulkerson has said.

Former 1st prize winners include: VC Young Artists Sirena Huang and Johan Dalene.