The 25 candidates, including a number of familiar names, were whittled down from 48 violinists invited to audition for the event in Moscow
The XV International Tchaikovsky Competition has announced the 25 violin finalists progressing to the live rounds following the auditions stage. This year, 48 potential violin candidates were invited to take part in auditions in Moscow, alongside 48 cellists, 61 pianists and 70 vocalists, whittled down from 623 applications from 45 countries. The violin and cello live rounds are due to begin on 17 June following the conclusion of the cello auditions, which are currently taking place.
The list of 25 violin finalists includes a number of familiar names from the international competition circuit, including Alexandra Conunova, winner of the 2012 International Josef Joachim Violin Competition in Hannover, 2015 Queen Elisabeth Competition finalist Bomsori Kim, 2014 Singapore International Violin Competition winner Yu-Chien Tseng, and 2015 International Boris Goldstein Competition first prize winner Stefan Tarara.
The full list of violin finalists are:
Milyukov, Pavel - Russia
Korzhenevich, Elena - Russia
Stekolshchikova, Lyubov - Russia
Conunova, Alexandra - Moldova
Kishima, Mayu - Japan
Mo, Boson - Canada
Kim, Younguk - South Korea
Starikov, Stepan - Russia
Kim, Stephen Jee Won - USA
Lukiyanenko, Tikhon - Russia
Kim, Bomsori - South Korea
Tseng, Yu-Chien - Taiwan
Kang, Jumi - Germany
Tchumburidze, Veriko - Georgia
Kim, Jee Won - South Korea
Jang, Yoo Jin - South Korea
Kazazyan, Haik - Russia
Park, Kyumin - South Korea
Zhelezny, Leonid - Russia
Balanas, Kristine - Latvia
Avstrikh, Daniil - Russia
Khukhua, Igor - Russia
Tarara, Stefan - Germany
Pospelov, Sergei - Russia
Andersen, Christopher Tun - Norway
Held every four years, the 2015 Tchaikovsky Competition takes place in Moscow (violinists and pianists) and St Petersburg (cellists and singers) with winners announced on 1 July in Moscow. Six winners will be chosen in each of the four disciplines: first prize category winners will be awarded $30,000 each and of these one Grand Prix recipient will be awarded an additional $100,000.
Competition president Valery Gergiev has attracted an impressive panel of judges, including many leading soloists. Judging the violin category are Salvatore Accardo, Yuri Bashmet, Maxim Vengerov, Liana Isakadze, Leonidas Kavakos, Ilya Kaler, Boris Kushnir, Mihaela Martin, Vadim Repin, Roman Simovic, Viktor Tretyakov, Maxim Fedotov, Vera Tsu Wei Ling, James Ehnes, Michael Haefliger and Nikolaj Znaider.
On the cello panel are Wolfgang Boettcher, Mario Brunello, David Geringas, Clive Gillinson, Alexander Kniazev, Mischa Maisky, Ivan Monighetti, Sergei Roldugin, Martti Rousi, Lynn Harrell, Jan Vogler, Jian Wang and Myung-Wha Chung.
The entire 2015 competition is to be broadcast live via Medici TV at Tch15.medici.tv. For full details visit the Tchaikovsky Competition website.
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