The semi-final stage of the 2025 Premio Paganini International Violin Competition took place on 22 October at the Teatro Carlo Felice in Genoa. During this round, six contestants performed a selection of chamber music as well as a solo piece composed by Niccolò Paganini.
Following these performances, the jury narrowed the field to three finalists who will compete for the top prizes on 25 October. The violinists advancing to the final round are:
- Hyun Seo Kim (South Korea)
- Rino Yoshimoto (Japan)
- Aozhe Zhang (China)
For the final competition, each finalist will perform Paganini’s Violin Concerto No. 1 alongside an additional violin concerto. Kim and Zhang have chosen to present Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, while Yoshimoto will perform Brahms’s Violin Concerto. All finalists will be accompanied by the Orchestra of the Teatro Carlo Felice.
The competition’s top award offers a prize of €30,000, with the second and third place winners receiving €20,000 and €10,000 respectively. Moreover, special prizes amounting to a total of €16,000 will be distributed among participants.
The esteemed jury panel this year is chaired by Uto Ughi and includes Pavel Berman, Pamela Frank, Mihaela Martin, Enzo Restagno, Sayaka Shoji, and Ulf Wallin.
— The Violin Post Editorial Staff
