Menuhin Competition Richmond 2020 Announces Full Schedule Of Events

The Menuhin Competition Richmond 2020 has announced the full schedule of competition rounds, concerts, masterclasses, and galas, via livestream from Richmond's WCVE Community Idea Stations. Together with the winner of the Junior 1st Prize at the Menuhin Competition Oslo 2010, Kerson Leong, who is in Richmond as a guest artist with the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra, the Menuhin Competition's Artistic Director Gordon Back has traveled to Richmond to make this live announcement from Community Idea Stations headquarters, which can be viewed here: https://ideastations.org/radio/stream/hd2

The biennial Menuhin Competition is notable for its tradition of traveling to a new location with each iteration, thus allowing participants and their families to immerse themselves in the local culture for the length of the Competition, and for residents to experience the Competition's legacy and the prodigious global talents the Competition attracts. Recent editions of the Competition have been held in Geneva (2018), London (2016), Austin, TX (2014), Beijing (2012), Oslo (2010), and Cardiff (2008). While in Richmond, competitors will participate in a variety of outreach activities with local institutions, further connecting and strengthening the camaraderie between the Competition and the greater Richmond area.

In May 2020, the City of Richmond, Community Idea Stations, Richmond Symphony, the University of Richmond, and Virginia Commonwealth University join forces as official Menuhin Competition Richmond 2020 co-hosts to present each exciting event, including competition rounds, concerts, masterclasses, and panels, which not only showcase the extraordinary 44 competitors, but also the expert jury, the renowned Richmond Symphony, and many guest artists including the Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra, Regina Carter Quartet, fiddlers and pedagogues Mark and Maggie O'Connor, the Sphinx Virtuosi, and many celebrated Menuhin Competition alumni. Concert highlights include the world premiere of a new work for violin and string orchestra by Richmond native Mason Bates, brilliant programs with selections by Shostakovich, Sarasate, Rimsky-Korsakov, Beethoven, Bloch, Schumann, Piazzolla, Jessie Montgomery, Michael Abels, and many others.

Programs will be held on each of the venerable universities' campuses, in the stunning Carpenter Theater at the Dominion Energy Center for the Performing Arts, and in performance spaces throughout Richmond, encouraging violinists to explore the beautiful, historic city, and engaging the local communities to participate actively as audience members.

Virginia is thrilled to have the international Menuhin Competition come to Richmond in May of 2020, says Virginia Secretary of Education Atif Qarni. We are excited to host this exceptional group of young violinists who will showcase their talents through education and engagement activities for students in the Richmond Region and through live-streaming of their performances to children throughout the Commonwealth. In addition to their musical talent, they bring with them an international perspective that can be so beneficial in creating meaningful dialogue amongst Virginia's students.

The application period for the Menuhin Competition Richmond 2020 is now open and accepting entries through October 31, 2019. The jury comprises violinist Pamela Frank (Chair), violinist and conductor Joji Hattori (Vice-Chair), violinist Noah Bendix-Balgley, violinist Ray Chen, violinist and entrepreneur Aaron Dworkin, violinist Ning Feng, cellist Ralph Kirshbaum, pianist Anton Nel, and violinist Soyoung Yoon.