Karisa Chiu Leads a New Generation of Indianapolis Laureates

From the original 38 participants, 16 advanced to the semifinals and six to the final stages. Unlike many competitions, Indianapolis requires its finalists to perform twice with orchestras. The Classical Finals, held at Butler University's Schrott Center for the Arts, featured concertos by Mozart and Haydn with the conductorless East Coast Chamber Orchestra. The concluding Finals took place at Hilbert Circle Theatre, where the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Leonard Slatkin, accompanied the six laureates in major Romantic and 20th-century concertos.

The final programmes included Mendelssohn, Sibelius, Brahms, Tchaikovsky and Bartók. Karisa Chiu, the last finalist to perform, concluded the competition with Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto in D major, following her earlier performance of Mozart's Fourth Violin Concerto in the Classical Finals. Her performances earned her the Gold Medal and a substantial number of additional distinctions.

The 27-year-old violinist, who studied at the Curtis Institute of Music and the Cleveland Institute of Music and is currently pursuing an Artist Diploma at the Juilliard School, had already established an international career before arriving in Indianapolis. Winner of the 2021 Isangyun International Violin Competition in Tongyeong, she has also received prizes at the Menuhin, Singapore and Leopold Mozart competitions. Her concert appearances include performances with the Munich Radio Orchestra and the Tongyeong Festival Orchestra, while her debut recording, with pianist Zhu Wang, was released by Cedille Records.

Silver Medalist Elli Choi, 25, has performed extensively across Europe, Asia and North America, appearing in venues including Carnegie Hall, the Berliner Philharmonie and the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam. She has collaborated with orchestras such as the Belgian National Orchestra, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte-Carlo and the Ulster Orchestra. In Indianapolis, she performed Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E minor in the orchestral final.

Bronze Medalist Aozhe Zhang, 18, is currently studying at the Music Middle School affiliated with the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. He attracted international attention in 2025 when he won First Prize at the Premio Paganini International Violin Competition in Genoa. In Indianapolis, he performed Sibelius's Violin Concerto in D minor and also received the special prize for the best interpretation of a work by Paganini, Ernst or Milstein.

The remaining laureates were Xunyue Zhang, 22, based in Berlin and winner of the 2026 International Mozart Competition in Salzburg, who placed fourth; Yesong Sophie Lee, 22, winner of the 2016 Menuhin Competition, who received Fifth Prize; and Lina Nakano, 21, currently studying at the Juilliard School, who was awarded Sixth Prize. Nakano also received the $5,000 special prize for the best concerto performance in the Finals for her interpretation of Bartók's Second Violin Concerto.

The competition concluded with a Gala Awards Ceremony at the Scottish Rite Cathedral on 4 October, featuring performances by all six laureates and the presentation of medals and special prizes. Karisa Chiu received the Josef Gingold Gold Medal, a cash award of $75,000 and a handcrafted violin bow by Ronald Ji, valued at more than $12,000. She was also awarded a Carnegie Hall recital debut and a recording contract.

Perhaps the most distinctive aspect of Indianapolis remains its commitment to the years following the competition. The Gold, Silver and Bronze Medalists receive four years of professional career management and international performance opportunities, while the laureates may also benefit from loans of valuable instruments from the competition's collection. Among these is the 1683 “ex-Gingold” Stradivarius, which can be made available to a laureate until the next edition in 2030.

With its substantial prize fund, established international reputation and extensive network of supporters, the Indianapolis Competition continues to demonstrate how an international music competition can combine artistic evaluation with practical career development. Its long-term engagement with its laureates, extending far beyond the announcement of the results, remains a defining feature of the event.

Awards
Gold Medal: Karisa Chiu (27)
Silver Medal: Elli Choi (25)
Bronze Medal: Aozhe Zhang (18)
Fourth Prize: Xunyue Zhang (22), Berlin
Fifth Prize: Yesong Sophie Lee (22)
Sixth Prize: Lina Nakano (21)

Jury
Jaime Laredo (Chair), David Chan, Jinjoo Cho, Pamela Frank, Yuzuko Horigome, Bella Hristova, Dong-Suk Kang, Cho-Liang Lin, Svetlin Roussev

Artists
East Coast Chamber Orchestra (Classical Finals)
Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra / Leonard Slatkin (Finals)

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