The Menuhin Competition Trust and Richmond Symphony have named 44 entrants – 22 age 15 or under, 22 ages 16-21 – in the 2020 Yehudi Menuhin International Competition, to be staged from May 14 to 24 at various venues in the Richmond area.
The competitors come from Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ukraine, the United Kingdom and the US. A Virginia contestant, Kayleigh Kim, recent winner of the Richmond Symphony League’s Student Concerto Competition, is one of the American entrants.
TwoSet Violin, the duo of Australian violinists Brett Yang and Eddy Chen, known for their witty videos on classical music and performing life, have been added to the schedule of Menuhin Competition events. They will cover the competition on social media and participate in a May 23 event at Virginia Commonwealth University featuring motion-capture technology, in which human movement is captured digitally. Details will be announced later.
Folk fiddler, violinist and teacher Mark O’Connor, already scheduled for a concert with his wife, Maggie O’Connor, on May 20 at the Byrd Theatre, also will participate in Violin Day, a May 2 event for elementary and secondary students at Virginia Commonwealth University.
New works by O’Connor and the Richmond-bred composer Mason Bates have been commissioned for performances by Menuhin contestants.
“Portrait of the City,” a daylong exhibition of art works by Richmond area students with music by the Sphinx Virtuosi chamber orchestra, will be presented on May 23 at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts, Arthur Ashe Boulevard at Grove Avenue.
The competition’s local host consortium includes the City of Richmond, the Richmond Symphony, the University of Richmond, VCU and VPM (Virginia Public Media).
The symphony is offering a Menuhin Experience Package of tickets for two or more selected concerts at a 10 percent discount through April 1. For details, call the symphony patron-services office at (804) 788-1212.
For single tickets, visit http://2020.menuhincompetition.org/program-tickets or call (800) 514-3849 (ETIX).
The final events schedule with adult ticket prices (discounted tickets are offered for children, college students and military):
May 14 (7:30 p.m.)
Carpenter Theatre, Dominion Energy Center, Sixth and Grace streets
Opening Gala Concert
Richmond Symphony
Jahja Ling conducting
Shostakovich: “Festive Overture”
Saint-Saëns: “Introduction and Rondo capriccioso”
Christian Li, violin
Sarasate: “Carmen Fantasy”
Chloe Chua, violin
Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1 in D major
Soyoung Yoon, violin
Rimsky-Korsakov: “Capriccio Espagnol”
$10-$100
May 15 (10 a.m. & 2:15 p.m.)
Camp Concert Hall, Modlin Arts Center, University of Richmond
Junior 1st rounds, day 1
with Magdalena Adamek, Nicola Eimer, Joanne Kong & Daniel Stipe, piano
free
May 15 (7:30 p.m.)
Thomas Dale High School, 3626 W. Hundred Road, Chester
Geneva 2018 competition junior prizewinners concert:
Chloe Chua, Hina Khuong-Huu & Christian Li, violin
Gordon Back, piano
Thomas Dale Chamber Orchestra
Christopher Johnson conducting
program TBA
$10
May 16 (10 a.m. & 2:15 p.m.)
Camp Concert Hall, Modlin Arts Center, University of Richmond
Junior 1st rounds, day 2
with Magdalena Adamek, Nicola Eimer, Joanne Kong & Daniel Stipe, piano
free
May 16 (7:30 p.m.)
Carpenter Theatre, Dominion Energy Center, Sixth and Grace streets
Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra
Daniel Myssyk conducting
Rimsky-Korsakov: “Russian Easter Overture”
Sibelius: Violin Concerto in D minor
Ning Feng, violin
Bizet: “L’Arlesienne” Suite No. 1
$5
May 17 (10 a.m. & 1:50 p.m.)
Camp Concert Hall, Modlin Arts Center, University of Richmond
Senior 1st rounds, day 1
with Magdalena Adamek, Nicola Eimer, Joanne Kong & Daniel Stipe, piano
free
May 17 (7:30 p.m.)
Vlahcevic Concert Hall, Singleton Arts Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Park Avenue at Harrison Street
Rennolds Chamber Concerts:
Menuhin Competition Jurors Showcase:
Beethoven: Cello Sonata in A major, Op. 69
Ralph Kirshbaum, cello
Anton Nel, piano
Bloch: “Baal Shem: Three Pictures of Hassidic Life”
Noah Bendix-Balgley, violin
Gordon Back, piano
Schumann: Piano Quintet in E flat major, Op. 44
Pamela Frank & Noah Bendix-Balgley, violins
Joji Hattori, viola
Ralph Kirshbaum, cello
Anton Nel, piano
$35
May 18 (10 a.m. & 1:50 p.m.)
Camp Concert Hall, Modlin Arts Center, University of Richmond
Senior 1st rounds, day 2
with Magdalena Adamek, Nicola Eimer, Joanne Kong & Daniel Stipe, piano
free
May 18 (7:30 p.m.)
Virginia Rep’s November Theatre, 114 W. Broad St.
Regina Carter Quartet:
Regina Carter, violin
Xavier Davis, piano
Chris Lightcap, bass
Alvester Garnett, drums
jazz program TBA
$20-$40
May 19 (10 a.m. & 2:20 p.m.)
Vlahcevic Concert Hall, Singleton Arts Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Park Avenue at Harrison Street
Junior semi-finals
with Magdalena Adamek, Nicola Eimer, Joanne Kong & Daniel Stipe, piano
$10
May 19 (7:30 p.m.)
Perkinson Recital Hall, North Court, University of Richmond
Ning Feng, violin
Anton Nel, piano
Sheila Johnson, speaker
Beethoven: Violin Sonata in A major, Op. 47 (“Kreutzer”)
Rita Dove: “Sonata Mulattica: a Life in Five Movements and a Short Play” (excerpts)
ticket prices & availability TBA
May 20 (10 a.m. & 2:20 p.m.)
Vlahcevic Concert Hall, Singleton Arts Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Park Avenue at Harrison Street
Senior semi-finals
Mozart: concerto movements TBA
with Magdalena Adamek, Nicola Eimer, Joanne Kong & Daniel Stipe, piano
Astor Piazzolla: “Histoire du Tango”
Mark O’Connor: commissioned work (premiere)
with Chaconne Klaverenga, guitar
$10
May 20 (7:30 p.m.)
Byrd Theatre, 2908 W. Cary St.
Mark O’Connor, fiddle & guitar
Maggie O’Connor, fiddle
folk & acoustic program TBA
$20
May 21 (10 a.m., 12:30 & 3 p.m.)
Academic Learning Commons, Virginia Commonwealth University, 1000 Floyd Ave.
Menuhin Competition jurors masterclasses:
10 a.m. session: Pamela Frank & Ning Feng, violins; Anton Nel, piano
12:30 p.m. session: Ray Chen & Soyoung Yoon, violins; Ralph Kirshbaum, cello
3 p.m. session: Pamela Frank & Noah Bendix-Balgley, violins; Joji Hattori, viola; Howard Nelson, physical therapist
$10 per session
May 21 (7:30 p.m.)
Camp Concert Hall, Modlin Arts Center, University of Richmond
Sphinx Virtuosi
Bartók: Divertimento – III. Allegro assai
Xavier Foley: “For Justice and Peace”
Ruben Rengel, violin
Astor Piazzolla: “Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas” (“The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires”)
Elena Urioste, violin
Johan Svendsen: Romance, Op. 26
Joji Hattori, violin
Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson: “Generations: Sinfonietta No. 2” – III. Alla burletta
Michael Abels: “Delights and Dances”
$36
May 22 (3:30 p.m.)
Institute for Contemporary Art, Virginia Commonwealth University, Broad and Belvedere streets
Aaron Dworkin, Ronald Crutcher, other panelists TBA
“The Danger of a Single Story: the Importance of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the Arts and Their Role in Society”
admission arrangements TBA
May 22 (7:30 p.m.)
Carpenter Theatre, Dominion Energy Center, Sixth and Grace streets
Junior Finals:
5 violinists TBA
Sphinx Virtuosi
Vivaldi: “The Four Seasons” (each finalist playing one concerto)
Mason Bates: commissioned work (premiere) (played by all finalists)
$10-$50
May 23 (7:30 p.m.)
Carpenter Theatre, Dominion Energy Center, Sixth and Grace streets
Senior Finals:
4 violinists TBA
Richmond Symphony
Andrew Litton conducting
Lalo: “Symphonie espagnole” (without 3rd movement)
Mendelssohn: Violin Concerto in E minor
Saint-Saëns: Violin Concerto No. 3 in B minor
Wieniawski: Violin Concerto No. 2 in D minor
$10-$100
May 24 (7:30 p.m.)
Carpenter Theatre, Dominion Energy Center, Sixth and Grace streets
Closing Gala Concert:
Richmond Symphony
Sphinx Virtuosi
Andrew Litton conducting
Michael Abels: “Delights and Dances”
Vivaldi: “The Four Seasons” – concerto TBA
junior competition winner
concerto movement TBA
senior competition winner
Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto in D major – I. Allegro moderato
Ray Chen, violin
Falla: “The Three-Cornered Hat” Suite No. 2
$10-$100
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