American violinist Hao Zhou has won the First Prize at the Concours Musical International de Montréal last night at the Maison symphonique, as well as the Radio-Canada Audience Award.
He will go home with a total of $ 102,500 in prizes, including $30,000 in cash from the City of Montreal; $50,000 from the Joseph Rouleau Career Development Scholarship offered by the Azrieli Foundation, as well as a $20,000 violin and bow offered by the Manufacturers Forum. Zhou has also won a $ 2,500 Artistic Residence at the Banff Arts Center, and a concert at the New Generation Festival in Florence, Italy.
Zhou is a graduate of the Colburn School, and the 1st place winner at the American String Teachers Association National Solo Competition. As a member of the Viano String Quartet, he was a prize winner at the 2018 Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition.
The other winners:
- Second Prize: Johanna Pichlmair (Austria) — $15,000
- Third Prize: Fumika Mohri (Japan / Germany) — 10 000$
Special Awards:
- Sonata Award for the best performance of a sonata in the semi-finals, awarded by Wilder & Davis: Anna Lee
- Radio-Canada Audience Award: Hao Zhou
- André-Bachand Award for the best performance of the compulsory Canadian work, awarded by Claudette Hould: Johanna Pichlmair
- Montreal Bach Festival Award: Johanna Pichlmair
- The non-ranking finalists receiving a 3000$ offered by Maurice Dechamps, Joseph Rouleau, and Elizabeth Wirth: Elli Choi, Anna Lee, and Christine Lim
The jury for this year was Zarin Mehta (President), Pierre Amoyal, Kim Kashkashian, Boris Kuschnir, Cho-Liang Lin, Mihaela Martin, Barry Shiffman, Dmitry Sitkovetsky and Pavel Vernikov.
Congratulations to all the winners!
LUDWIG VAN TORONTO
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