The new biennial contest takes place for the first time in August 2016

SISIVCCrop

The Shanghai Symphony Orchestra has launched a new biennial violin contest with an exceptionally large prize fund. The Shanghai Isaac Stern International Violin Competition – named in honour of the great violinist who first forged links with China in 1979 – takes place for the first time from 14 August to 2 September 2016, with a grand prize if $100,000.

Open to international violinists aged between 18 and 32, entries are accepted until 31 January 2016, followed by a DVD pre-selection in March 2016.

The jury boasts an impressive line-up of familiar names, including Zakhar Bron, Boris Kuschnir and Maxim Vengerov, in addition to renowned Chinese violin professors Zhenshan Wang and Lina Yu, and co-chairs – conductor and son of Isaac Stern, David Stern, and Professor Vera Tsu Weiling.

In addition to six core prizes – including a second prize of $50,000 and a third prize of $25,000 – there will be two special awards for Best Performance of a Chinese Work and the Isaac Stern Award – given to ‘an individual who is deemed to have made an outstanding contribution to our understanding of humanity through the medium of music’.

For full details visit the SISIVC website.

Read The Strad blog: Why no gold medal winning violinist at this year's Tchaikovsky Competition?

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