Japanese violinist Yuki Hirano wins the €12,000 first prize
The seventh International Heifetz Competition for Violinists concluded this weekend in Vilnius, Lithuania. The final round took place on 21 and 22 February at the Lithuanian National Philharmonic, where finalists were accompanied by the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra conducted by Modestas Pitrėnas.
The first prize of €12,000 was awarded to Japanese violinist Yuki Hirano (b.2004). The €8,000 second prize went to Chinese violinist Jinzhu Li (b.2007), while the third prize was awarded jointly to South Korean violinist Chaeyeon Lee (b.2003) and Chinese violinist Shaoheng Zhong (b.2009), each receiving €3,000. Diplomas worth €1,000 were awarded to the other finalists, Lithuanian violinist Rokas Diržys (b.2008) and Polish violinist Zofia Anna Olesik (b.2005).
Hirano also won the €500 special prize for the best performance of a Jascha Heifetz transcription, the Lithuanian National Symphonic Orchestra’s gift voucher for sheet music, and seven concert prizes in collaboration with the following institutions: the Klaipėda Concert Hall, Liepāja Symphony Orchestra, Poznań Philharmonic, Lithuanian National Philharmonic Society, Kaunas State Philharmonic, Filarmonica de Stat Transilvania, and Paliesius Manor.
Hirano is currently studying at the Music and Arts University of the City of Vienna with Pavel Vernikov, having previously studied with Tsugio Tokunaga. Among her accolades, in 2024 she received the first prize at the Vienna Classic Violin Competition and second prize at the Ysaÿe International Music Competition.
Further special prizes were awarded as follows:
- Li received a concert prize in the form of the Filarmonica de Stat Transilvania’s Young Artist Prize.
- Diržys received the €1,000 special prize for the best participant from Lithuania, as well as the €500 virtual audience prize.
- Olesik won a scholarship to participate in the 2025 Swiss International Music Academy and a special prize from the European Union of Music Competitions for Youth.
- The €1,000 prize for the best performance of With a Birdsong by Algirdas Martinaitis was awarded to Lithuanian violinist Kristijonas Pūtys (b.2000).
- All finalists received a special prize from Bärenreiter Sheet Music Publishing House.
This year’s jury for the final round comprised Aistė Dvarionaitė, Mario Hossen, Gidon Kremer, Rūta Lipinaitytė, Mihaela Martin, George Tudorache, and Pavel Vernikov.
Read: Jascha Heifetz the 16-year-old prankster
Watch: Heifetz plays Kreisler: Reccitativo and Scherzo, op.6
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