The competitors will perform at Windsor Castle, outside of London, in March

Windsor_Castle

The fifth Windsor Festival International String Competition has announced the eight semi-finalists who will compete for its top prize. Open to international violinists, violists and cellists aged between 16 and 26, the competition takes place at Windsor Guildhall and Windsor Castle from 15 to 21 March 2015.

Selected from over 160 applicants from 36 countries, the semi-finalists are: Latvian violinist Elina Buksa, British cellist Jonathan Dormand, British violinist Cristian Grajner-Desa, French cellist Stanislas Kim, Taiwanese violist Ting-Ru Lai, South Korean cellist Christine Jeong Lee, South Korean violinist Ji Yoon Lee and British violist Timothy Ridout.

First prize includes a concerto performance with the Philharmonia Orchestra on 24 September 2015 at the Windsor Festival, a £5,000 cash award, a fine contemporary bow to the value of £5,000 from Bishop Instruments and Bows, a minimum of two recitals, and a solo recoding opportunity with Champs Hill records. There are also cash awards for second and third prizes.

This year’s jury includes violinist and Royal Academy of Music professor Erich Gruenberg; Sydney Symphony principal viola and Sydney Conservatorium lecturer Roger Benedict; and cellist, and Zürich Winterthur Konservatorium and Royal Northern College of Music professor Raphael Wallfisch.

The winner of the Fourth Windsor String Competition was violinist Benjamin Baker.

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