Prizewinners Announced at 5th Tokyo International Viola Competition

Held every three years as part of the Viola Space, a festival for viola founded in 1992 by violist Nobuko Imai, the Tokyo International Viola Competition welcomed violists from all nationalities born on or after July 1, 1989.

As the first prize winner, violist Hayang Park will receive JPY 1,000,000. Second prize and JPY 600,000 went to Emiko Yuasa, while third prize and JPY 300,000 was given to Sào Soulez Larivière.

The first, second, and third prize winners will have performance opportunities at the Prizewinners’ Concerts in Tokyo, Osaka, and Sendai as part of Viola Space 2022, in addition to concerts at the Viola Space in or after 2023.

Additional prizes were given out. The Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra Prize, which gives an opportunity to perform with the ensemble after 2023, went to Hayang Park.

Emiko Yuasa won the Audience Prize and the Suntory Foundation for Arts Prize for the best interpretation of Japanese composition — each worth JPY 100,000. She also won a Bow Prize, which offers a bow donated by violin maker Ritz Iwata and a Netherlands Case donated by T. Kurosawa & Co.,Ltd.

Sào Soulez Larivière received three Bow Prizes — two of which include a high-quality carbon bow donated by Nakazen Music, Aichi. The third was the Baroque Bow Prize, which included a baroque bow made and donated by Netherland bow maker Tis Marang.

The jury comprised Antoine Tamestit (President), Nobuko Imai (Vice President), William Coleman, Koichiro Harada, Hsin-Yun Huang, Akira Nishimura, and Lars Anders Tomter.

Previous first prize winners include VC Artist Sergey Malov and Luosha Fang.