Photo: MHIVC
Welcome again to a program of highlights from the 2023 Michael Hill International Violin Competition. This is the last program from Queenstown. And we are in round two of the competition, in which the 16 violinists had to perform a New Zealand piece, written by Michael Norris. That piece was commissioned for the competition. The violinists also had to play a sonata and a showpiece. In this programme you hear the last four violinists.
The panel of judges is made up of some of the best violinists, and one pianist, on the scene. They are James Ehnes from Canada; Ning Feng from China; Bella Hristova from Bulgaria; Piers Lane from Australia, Natalia, Lomeiko from Russia and New Zealand; Wilma Smith from New Zealand; and Anthony Marwood from the United Kingdom.
Julia Mirzoev performs at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition. Photo: James Roberts
We start with a Canadian violinist, Julia Mirzova. Together with Somi Kim she plays Sonata for violin and piano by Claude Debussy and Camille Saint-Saens' Caprice after a study in the form of a waltz
Seonglan Hong performs at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition. Photo: James Roberts
We have a violinist from South Korea now, it’s Seonglan Hong. Together with Sarah Watkins at the piano, she plays Beethoven’s Sonata No. 8 Op. 30 No 3.
Aoi Saito performs at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition. Photo: James Roberts
Back to French music. Japanese violinist Aoi Saito now has got Gabriel Fauré’s Violin Sonata No. 1 Op. 13. In A. Somi Kim is at the piano. Then they play a piece by Wieniawski: Variations on an original theme, Opus, 15
Lorenz Karls performs at the Michael Hill International Violin Competition. Photo: James Roberts
And there is one last competitor at the Michael Hill international violin competition. It’s Lorenz Karls from Austria. Together with Sarah Watkins at the piano he now plays Johannes Brahms’ Sonata for violin and piano number three opus 108.
Just one more work in this program. And it’s the New Zealand piece that each competitor had to play. It was composed by Michael Norris and features a backing track of taonga puoro players. Here again is Lorenz Karls with Waipounamu.
Music recorded at the Queenstown Memorial Hall on 5th June 2023.
Producer: Adrian Hollay
Engineer: Adrian Hollay
