Menuhin Competition London 2016 Boasts Record-Breaking Survey of Young Violinists

The MENUHIN COMPETITION LONDON 2016 has smashed its own record with 307 entries this year, up 9% on 2014's competition. With these record breaking numbers of entrants to the world's leading competition for young violinists, the applicants have also taken part in the largest survey for young violinists yet - with interesting results....

Now begins the involved assessment of the entrants' performances, playing the competition's challenging set repertoire, to find just 44 of the most talented violin stars of tomorrow, who will arrive in London in April 2016 to compete for the coveted prizes.

The competition has reached out across the world with applicants coming from a total of 40 x countries. The MENUHIN COMPETITION LONDON 2016 is delighted to have received first time entries from nine countries, including the first ever entry from an African country: Cyprus, Estonia, Georgia, Moldova, Mongolia, Portugal, Slovakia, South Africa and Turkey. The youngest entrant is just 9 years old from Taiwan.

Nearly 40% of entrants come from 28 x European countries; with North America, Asia, Africa and Australia making up the rest. The competition sees its highest ever number of applicants from the UK, with 28 x entrants - could there be a young violinist from 2016's host country in the final 44 who will compete in London in April 2016?

Surprising results, statistics and information in the first MENUHIN COMPETITION SURVEY reveals that 82% of the entrants' parents do not play the violin, with over 45% of the parents never having played any musical instrument. 66% of all the applicants are female and 28% of these talented violinists that have applieddo not own their own violin. Another interesting result was that over 50% of the Juniors (under 16s) began to learn the violin under the age of 5. Does this show that more parents in 2015 have artistic aspirations for their child? This finding continues with the fact that 40% more Junior applicants, compared to the Seniors (under 22s), performed their first public recital under the age of 5. Do teachers and parents believe that it is now more important for very young children to perform in public? For more information, visit: www.menuhincompetition.org

2016 is founder Yehudi Menuhin's centenary and the MENUHIN COMPETITION LONDON 2016 will be a celebratory 11-day Festival (Thursday 7 April 2016 - Sunday 17 April 2016) of all things Menuhin! It will fill London with world-class music including major concerts from some of the capital's best orchestras, a host of internationally acclaimed soloists, family concerts (Lemony Snicket's The Composer Is Dead), world premieres (including John Rutter's first work for violin and choir), masterclasses, exhibitions and outreach programmes - with the competition at its heart.