Standing ovations for music comp finalists
The choice of prize winners in the Vodacom-sponsored 5th Unisa International String Competition on Friday, 5 February 2010 was difficult. In the end, however, Yura Lee of the Republic of Korea and Georgi Anichenko of Belarus were awarded first places in the violin and cello sections, respectively.
The performances of all six finalists brought many members of the audience to their feet in standing ovations as the high standard of musicianship was recognised and appreciated.
The diminutive 24-year-old Lee was a clear audience favourite throughout the competition, and her dynamic and virtuosic interpretation of Tchaikovsky's popular Violin Concerto in D Major in the final was rewarded with enthusiastic cheering by the audience.
Punched the air
The 24-year-old Anichenko punched the air in jubilation as his name was announced during the prize-giving ceremony as the winner of the cello section, following his performance of Dvorák's Cello Concerto in B Minor.
The finals brought to an end the two-week-long competition in Pretoria, which had 27 violinists and cellists competing for the Vodacom-sponsored main prize money of R890 000, including two first prizes of R200 000 for each of the instrumental categories.
Second prize of R170 000 was presented to Russian violinist Andrey Baranov (24) who had also performed the Tchaikovsky violin concerto, while Hrachya Avanesyan (23) of Armenia received the third prize of R140 000.
Cellist Alexander Ramm of Russia won R100 000 in fourth position, and cellist Anton Pavlovskiy was placed fifth, winning R80 000.
All main prizes were sponsored by Vodacom.
Special prizes
Pavlovskiy also scored well with the special prizes, winning an additional R17 500 for best performances of a work by JS Bach and of the prescribed South African composition in the first round, and R15 000 for best cello recital in the third round.
Similarly, violinist Baranov walked off with another R32 500 in special prizes in the first three rounds, while violinist Lee takes home another R10 000 for best performance of a Sonata in the second round.
South African violinist Jacqueline Wedderburn-Maxwell was recognised as the most promising South African competitor and received R20 000 from the Desmond Willson Memorial Trust.
Special prizes were sponsored by the James Verwey Memorial Trust, SAMRO, and the Desmond Willson Memorial Trust.
Radio streaming
Those unable to attend the finals in person were nevertheless able to participate through the live broadcast and streaming of both finals by the Johannesburg-based radio station, Radio Today, and calls were received from as far afield as Russia from classical music devotees who had logged onto the station's website to listen live.
A feature of the competition was the number of finalists who performed on valuable historic instruments. Lee, for example, played a 1778 Joseph and Antonio Gagliano violin, on loan from the Steans Institute for Young Artists, Chicago. Avanesyan performed on a violin by Antonio Stradivarius “Piatti” from the 18th century, while Baranov's instrument was made by Andrea Guarneri in 1682, and was loaned to him by Florian Leonhard Fine Violins.
