Winners Announced at the UK's Haslemere String Competition

Founded by the violinist, teacher, and manager Ishani Bhoola, the competition aims to provide solo exposure for young London-based string players

The sixth edition of the UK's Haslemere International String Competition has recently come to a close. Since the pandemic, the first round has been moved online to give the competition a more international scope. At the 2022 edition, the jury was comprised of Jo Cole, Nicole Wilson, and Jonathan Hennessey-Brown.

First Prize of £1500 plus a concerto appearance with the London Mozart Players went to cellist Danushka Edirisinghe, a student of Hannah Roberts at the Royal Academy of Music. Edirisinghe was the principal cellist of the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain in 2020 and 2021, and has appeared in the Britten Sinfonia, City of London Sinfonia, and the Chineke! Orchestra.

The competition's runner-up was cellist Hugo Svedberg, aged just 14 years old. He won a cash prize of £500. Svedberg's previous honors include winning the Two Moors Festival Competition, the Sandrey Date Memorial Prize, and the London Young Musician Competition — as well as being named the Bournemouth Symphony's Young Musician of the Year.

You can view the recording of the final below.