Day 2 – Classic Violin Olympus Grand Finale

The grand affair, following six international preselection contests spanning the world’s major music capitals, saw each of the 12 finalists undergo a meticulously curated six-phase programme designed to shine a light on essential aspects of their skillset, including solo performances, ensemble and orchestral works, and a Q&A with the 25-member jury board made up of renowned conductors and directors of acclaimed orchestras, festivals, and concert series, chaired by maestro Pavel Vernikov. 

''Apart from the extremely high quality and the fact that it is invite-only to people who are already winners and champions, the most important thing to me is that CVO is a competition open to all ages. Obviously, we need to help younger people, but there are also other established musicians who are still making an incredible career but are maybe not so very well known in the world. So I have to say that this is one of the main things that I like, together with the fact that one of the main missions here is that we are focusing on the artists' personality,'' said juror and maestro Umberto Fanni. ''Today, this is one of the most important aspects of being a musician for me because it's not only enough to be a great virtuoso or a perfect musician, but one also needs to express one's own personality. We are searching for something particular that leaves you with an impression and encourages a discussion.''

As the competition’s second day commenced, sessions took place on April 27, with each violinist presenting a strong case for victory through performances, adhering to a diverse and evolutionary programme designed to illuminate all aspects of their musical abilities. Sessions one's lineup brought about familiar faces from yesterday, welcoming back Andrey Baranov (Switzerland), winner of the 2012 Queen Elisabeth Violin Competition and a prizewinner of more than twenty other international competitions, including Indianapolis, Seoul, Sendai, etc.; Boris Brovtsyn (Austria), recognised as one of his generation's most profound and versatile musicians; Xiao Wang (China/USA), first-prize winner of the 2012 Szigeti International Violin Competition and 2016 New York Concert Artist; and Soyoung Yoon (South Korea/Spain), first-prize winner of the International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition and the Yehudi Menuhin International Competition for Young Violinists. 

The second half featured Ruifeng Lin (China), concertmaster of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music Symphony Orchestra and the Novus-Classica Camerata; Mariusz Patyra (Poland/Germany), a violin virtuoso and winner of the 2001 Niccolo Paganini International Violin Competition; Haik Kazazyan (Armenia), a successful violinist who has performed with orchestras such as Orchestra of The Mariinsky Theater, Orchestre National de France, Scottish Royal National Orchestra etc; and Jinzhu Li (China), first prize winner at the 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians.

The day began at 9:00 am (CET) with a packed schedule of performances featuring Andrey Baranov and Boris Brovtsyn, who served as both soloists and concertmasters with the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra. They were joined by Xiao Wang and Soyoung Yoon, who performed alongside Alexander Chaushian and Itamar Golan with the Madrid Philharmonic Orchestra. These sessions were centred around several notable pieces such as Composer-in-Residence Alexey Shor's Violin Concerto No. 6 in "Carpe Diem", Ludwig van Beethoven's Triple Concerto Op. 56 in C Major, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's "Swan Lake", Act II, No. 5 Pas D'Action and Richard Strauss' “Der Bur̈ger als Edelmann” Suite No. 4, Auftritt und Tanz der Schneider. The programme also featured solo encores by Wang and Yoon, followed by a Q&A session with esteemed jury members.

Following an afternoon break, the competition resumed at 2:30 pm, bringing in Haik Kazazyan and Jinzhu Li as both soloists and lead violinists with the Armenian State Symphony Orchestra. They were joined by Ruifeng Lin and Mariusz Patyra, who performed alongside Alexander Chaushian and Itamar Golan with the Madrid Philharmonic Orchestra. Highlights from Session 2 included Jean Sibelius' Violin Concerto in D minor, Alexey Shor's Violin Concerto No. 4 in B minor and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto Op. 35, along with solo encores by Lin and Patyra and a Q&A with the jury. Throughout the run, contestants put on a world-class show like no other, showcasing a breadth of talent, intelligence and charisma that won the hearts of the audience and jury alike.

''This is such a great opportunity for all of us,'' said 38-year-old violinist and CVO participant Xiao Wang. ''Most of us have known each other for a long time; we used to do competitions when we were little. Now, it's like a reunion, a big party! This platform allows us to showcase our talents and demonstrate that it’s not just the 10 or 12-year-olds who can play exceptionally well, but we, as educators and violinists, also perform. That's one of the reasons why we chose to come here. It's a tremendous amount of pressure, but in a good way, as it makes us practice more. Also, it’s going to be broadcast globally, and everybody is going to see it, which is another reason why I want to be here. Of course, the prize is great, but the exposure is also amazing.''

Live streamed to global audiences via Medici.tv and The Violin Channel, Classic Violin Olympus continues to elevate contemporary violin performances to extraordinary heights. The excitement continued on day 3 as CVO moved closer to its final stage, with the world watching in anticipation of what these twelve extraordinary artists would bring next and who would be crowned winner of the Grand Finale.