Australian Violinist Awarded Prestigious Commonwealth Bursary

Australian violinist Emily Sun has been awarded the Gold Medal at the 64th Royal Over-Seas League Annual Music Competition

24 year old Australian violinist Emily Sun has been awarded the Gold Medal at the 64^th Royal Over-Seas League Annual Music Competition, in London.

A graduate of the Royal College of Music, where she studied with Itzhak Rashkovsky, Emily is a former prize winner at the Lipizer and Brahms International Violin Competitions.

She will receive £10,000 (US $14,500) - and a number of important international performance opportunities.

“ROSL is unique as an organisation - it does not just award prize money but helps nurture talent ... it provides performance opportunities in festivals and concert halls across the UK and around the Commonwealth and develops lasting relationships with the musicians that have won prizes and scholarships,” Chairman, Gavin Henderson has said.

“I am incredibly honoured and thrilled to be awarded the Gold Medal … this competition accepts competitors from all Commonwealth countries and I am very excited to have represented Australia,” Emily has told The Violin Channel,

“This award is especially important to me as I am the only violinist to have won the Gold Medal since 1981,” she has said.

2016 category finalists, pianist Tyler Hay, saxophonist Philip Attard and vocalist Henry Neill will also each receive £5,000.

Open to solo instrumentalists 30 years or younger from the United Kingdom and any Commonwealth nation, previous winners include pianist Jayson Gilliam, saxophonist Amy Dickson and cellist Pei-Sian Ng.