The standard at the 12th Michael Hill International Violin Competition was high, and the finalists displayed a wide aesthetic range. This demonstrates how well the jury had been selected, as they managed to bring such a diverse group of artists through to the final. The 23-year-old Jakow Pavlenko, who lives in Berlin, impressed throughout the competition with his incisive interpretations, which even reminded some of the young Gidon Kremer. A few minor uncertainties in Sibelius’s Violin Concerto earned him third prize. The 26-year-old Tianyou Ma, who lives in New York, also chose the Sibelius Violin Concerto and impressed with a polished confidence that secured him second prize. The performance of 23-year-old Beatrice Colombis, originally from Sydney and now based in Berlin, in Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto was absolutely outstanding. Rarely does one hear such a compelling interplay between technical brilliance and individual artistic expression at competitions, yet one that never fails to show respect for the score itself. Her first prize opens the doors to major concert organisers in the New Zealand-Pacific region; furthermore, she will receive a Domenico Montagnana violin from Rare Violins of New York in Consortium and will take part in a Personalised Professional Development Programme.
This anniversary edition of the Michael Hill International Violin Competition has demonstrated how a competition can today effectively position itself within both local and international cultural life, whilst offering participating artists a truly inspiring and formative experience. Ideally, a competition is always more than just a competition. This is particularly true of the Michael Hill International Violin Competition.
Long live the Michael Hill International Violin Competition!
Peter Paul Kainrath, President WFIMC, Auckland 07.06.2026
