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Odesa International Violin Competition is held in Germany

Competitions

The Ukrainian based competition welcomed 21 participants in the German city of Monheim am Rhein.

Odesa international Violin Competition, in an event full of symbolism and musical heritage, successfully concluded its 2025 edition in the city of Monheim am Rhein, Germany. The artistic "exile", necessitated by the ongoing war in Ukraine, made the competition a powerful symbol of cultural solidarity.

In an auspicious opening ceremony, the Mayor of Odesa, Gennady Trukhanov, sent a video message expressing his deep gratitude and respect to the organizers, the Jury, the artists, and the authorities of Monheim am Rhein, wishing them all the best for this exceptional event.

After intense first and second rounds featuring performances of a remarkably high level, the Jury, led by Harald Schoneweg, designated three finalists: Maya Wichert, Ming-Chung Teng, and Sean Hsi. The three then performed with the Kyiv Symphony Orchestra—which found "asylum" in Monheim a year ago due to the war—under the baton of the renowned Ukrainian conductor Oksana Lyniv. Maestra Lyniv's presence was profoundly symbolic; a national icon, she shattered glass ceilings as the first woman to conduct at the Bayreuth Festival and founded the Youth Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine. Leading the exiled orchestra for this exiled competition, she embodied the spirit and profound artistic depth of Ukraine.

While the level of all three finalists was indeed very high, Maya Wichert impressed the Jury and the audience with her technical brilliance and fine expressiveness, playing Korngold's Violin Concerto in D-Major, Opus 25. She was awarded the First Prize. Second Prize went to Ming-Chun Teng and Third Prize to Sean Hsi. 


Winner of multiple national and international awards, violinist Maya Wichert was born in Munich in 2006, and started receiving violin lessons at the age of four. Since 2015, she has been studying at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich with Professor Sonja Korkeala and has also been coached by Professor Ana Chumachenco. She receives a scholarship from the International Academy of Music in Liechtenstein and has attended masterclasses with Julia Fischer, Christoph Poppen, Ingolf Turban, Miriam Fried and Pavel Vernikov. 
Maya Wichert has been studying with Professor Krzysztof Wegrzyn at the University of Hanover since October 2024.

The three finalists: Ming-Chun Teng, Maya Wichert, Sean Hsi

Jury: Harald Schoneweg, Chair; Marc Bouchkov; Soyoung Yoon; Andrii Murza; Mario Hossen; Aleksey Semenenko; Rūta Lipinaitytė; Zohrab Tadevosyan; Christiane von Velsen

Laureates:
1st Prize: Maya Wichert (Hannover)
2nd Prize: Ming-Chung Teng (Munich)
3rd Prize: Sean Hsi (New York)

Jury: 
Harald Schoneweg, Chair; Marc Bouchkov; Soyoung Yoon;  Andrii Murza; Mario Hossen; Aleksey Semenenko; Rūta Lipinaitytė; Zohrab Tadevosyan; Christiane von Velsen

Artists:
The Kyiv Symphony Orchestra
Oksana Lyniv, conductor

 

The competition's significance stems from its deep roots in the Odesa violin school, founded by the visionary pedagogue Petr Stolyarski. In the early 20th century, Stolyarski developed a revolutionary teaching method that nurtured prodigious talent from a very young age in a supportive, almost familial environment. His legendary studio produced iconic virtuosos like David Oistrakh, Nathan Milstein, and Elizaveta Gilels. The Odesa Violin Competition is a direct heir to this legacy, created to uphold the city's reputation as a cradle of string virtuosity and to challenge each new generation of artists.

The competition's move to Germany highlights the extreme difficulties of sustaining cultural life in war-torn Ukraine. Organizing concerts and cultural events is now an act of immense courage, faced with constant threats of bombardment, blackouts, and internet disruptions. Air raid sirens routinely silence rehearsals, forcing artists and audiences into shelters. Despite these conditions, many Ukrainian musicians persevere, performing in underground venues as a vital act of resistance, a source of solace, and a defiant affirmation of their national identity.

The Rheinsiche Post, a well-known German newspaper, captured the event's essence: "It was a moving concert event that not only impressed with outstanding musical excellence but also manifested cultural expression of solidarity with Ukraine." The 2025 edition was more than a competition; it was a statement that the legacy of Stolyarski and the spirit of Ukrainian culture will not be silenced.

 

©WFIMC 2025