Japan's Sendai International Music Competition Announces Semi-Finalists

12 violinists will perform with the the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Junichi Hirokami

The 9th Sendai International Music Competition is currently underway.  Twelve violinists have been selected to compete in the semi-finals, from May 30 to June 1.

• Jiachen Cao (China, b.2006)
• Seohyeon Park (South Korea, b.2005)
• Haram Kim (South Korea, b.1998)
• Hyeonji Kim (South Korea, b.2000)
• Boha Moon (South Korea, b.2006)
• Hairui Lei (China, b.2005)
• Jake Dongyoung Shim (South Korea, b.2001)
• Vilmos Csikos (Belgium/Hungary, b.1996)
• Aozhe Zhang (China, b.2008)
• Fiona Kisara Iyoku (US/Japan, b.2007)
• Momo Matoba (Japan, b.2007)
• Jinzhu Li (China, b.2007)

The contestants will perform with the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Junichi Hirokami either the Dvořák Violin Concerto in A minor or the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor. Candidates will also perform specified parts of Brahms' Symphony No.1 in C minor, second movement, and Mozart's Cassation in G major, K63: V. Adagio.

Yuzuko Horigome serves as the jury chair with vice-chairs Masafumi Hori and Young-Uck Kim. The jury comprises Shmuel Ashkenasi, Boris Belkin, Mengla Huang, Cho-Liang Lin, Mihaela Martin, Liviu Prunaru, Ryo Terakado, and Kyoko Yonemoto.

The first prizewinner will receive JPY3,000,000 (£15,000), a diploma and gold medal, performance opportunities with the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra and other Japanese orchestras, and production of a CD.