The top prizes were won by Argentinian violinist Pilar Policano and US violinist Valerie Bai
The Ilona Fehér International Violin Competition was held from 24 June and announced its winners of two age categories on 2 July at the Budapest Music Centre. Founded in 2017 by Katalin Kokas and Barnabás Kelemen, the competition is open to violinists under the age of 22 and precedes the Festival Academy Budapest Summerfest.
The competition is divided into two age groups: group 1 (age 15 and under) and group 2 (age 15–22). Prizes included total prize money of €10,000, the two-year loan of a violin by Gábor Draskóczy based on the 1734 ‘Willemotte’ Stradivari, plus an invitation to perform at Festival Academy Budapest Summerfest 2027.
In group 1, Valerie Bai (11, USA) won first prize and prize for Best Virtuoso Piece. Huaide Li (11, China) won second prize and prize for Best Sonata, while Łucja Pych (14, Poland) won third prize and prize for Best Haydn Quartet.
Fourth prize went to Vasilisa Sokolova (14, Antigua and Barbuda), fifth prize to 5th Iat Ham Sabrina Wang (13, Macau) and sixth prize to Xi Lin (12, Hungary). Gábor Ferenc Nagy (14, Hungary) won prize for Best Bartók Duo.
In group 2, Pilar Policano (18, Argentina) won first prize and prize for Best Sonata. Luca Kaufman (21, Italy/US) won second prize, while Anastasiia Zhukova (22, Russia) won third prize and prize for Best Bartók Duo.
Nina Rakočević (15, Serbia) won fourth prize and prize for Best Virtuoso Piece, while Emilia Linka (16, Poland) won fifth prize. Sebastian Manning (17, Romania) won prize for Best Haydn Quartet.
Hagai Shaham presided the jury, which comprised András Keller, So-Ock Kim, Boris Kuschnir, Alissa Margulis, Tatiana Samouil, Dora Schwarzberg, Stephan Picard, Andreas Vierziger and Qian Zhou.
A winners’ gala concert will be held on 3 July to officially open the 11th Festival Academy Budapest Summerfest.
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