Laureates

The Menuhin Competition has an impressive track record of counting some of the world’s most gifted violinists among its participants and prizewinners. Since 1983, many have gone on to major international careers, for example: Tasmin Little, Isabelle van Keulen, Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider, Ilya Gringolts, Julia Fischer, Daishin Kashimoto, Corina Belcea, Ning Feng and more recently Chad Hoopes, Ray Chen, Daniel Lozakovitj, Callum Smart, Kerson Leong and Stephen Waarts.

Chad Hoopes, winner of the 2008 Junior 1st Prize, became the youngest violinist ever signed by IMG Artists, and winner of the 2008 Senior 1st Prize. Ray Chen went on to win the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 2009, was signed by CAMI in 2010 and now exclusively records with Sony. His debut album ‘Virtuoso’ won the ECHO Classic Award. The press says about Ray: “he found himself in the limelight after winning the 2008 Yehudi Menuhin Competition, and then in 2009 the Concours Reine Elisabeth in Brussels, two of the world’s most important violin competitions.”

Callum Smart, winner of the 2010 Junior 5th Prize, was a finalist in the BBC Young Musician of the Year competition in the same year and has since been signed by Hazard Chase, giving concerts throughout Europe. Winner of the 2010 Junior 1st Prize Kerson Leong regularly performs at festivals and concerts worldwide and is one of four young artists to have recently been selected as “Revelation Radio-Canada” 2014-2015. 2014 winner Stephen Waarts is now on the Young Concert Artists roster.

Prizewinners of the Competition are regularly invited to major international music festivals. For more information on the prizewinner activities facilitated by the Menuhin Competition Trust, please see our Prizewinner Development Opportunities page.