BREAKING | Prizes Awarded at New Zealand’s Gisborne International Music Comp

20-year-old violinist Tim Yu from Australia has been awarded 1st prize at the 2018 Gisborne International Music Competition

20-year-old violinist Tim Yu from Australia has today been awarded 1st prize at the 2018 Gisborne International Music Competition – in Gisborne, New Zealand.

The annual competition, open to solo orchestral instrumentalists aged 16-25, is regarded as one of the most significant development bursaries in the Australasian region.

A full-scholarship student of Alice Waten at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Tim will receive $10,000 NZD – plus a number of local performance opportunities.

2nd and 3rd prizes were awarded to 16-year-old cellist Charlotte Miles from Australia - and 22-year-old violinist Aziel Verner from New Zealand.

The special prize for the ‘Best Performance of a Work by Paganini’ was awarded to 17-year-old cellist Sai Sai Ding from China/United States.

The special prize for the ‘Best Performance of a Work by J.S. Bach’ was awarded to Aziel Verner.

The 'International Strings Players’ encouragement prize was awarded to 21-year-old cellist Caleb Wong from Australia.

This year’s competition was adjudicated by Auckland Philharmonia Principal Violist Robert Ashworth – and international oboist and conductor Gordon Hunt.

Previous 1st prize winners include 2017 Queen Elisabeth International Cello Competition prize winner VC Young Artist Santiago Canon Valencia, 2015 Joseph Joachim International Violin Competition prize winner Amalia Hall – and 2016 Lipizer International Violin Competition prize winner James Dong.