Competitions, Awards and Appointments: September 2022

Competition results

Cuban–American cellist Thomas Mesa, 32, has won the Sphinx Medal of Excellence worth $50,000. The prize celebrates extraordinary Black and Latinx classical musicians who show artistic excellence, an outstanding work ethic and a commitment to their communities. Mesa has performed as a soloist with orchestras across the US and is a past winner of the Sphinx Competition.

Instead of the usual $100,000 first prize, the Shanghai Isaac Stern International Violin Competition has awarded its six finalists $20,000 each. The finalists were: Rino Yoshimoto, 19, from Japan, Thomas Lefort, 28, from France, Ruifeng Lin, 22, from China, Felicitas Schiffner, 25, from Germany, Angela Sin Ying Chan, 25, from Hong Kong, and Shannon Lee, 30, from the US…