Violin has been a big part of my life for many years, and I have really enjoyed seeing how I have grown through performing over the years. It has taught me to be disciplined, patient, and most importantly, to enjoy making music and sharing it with others.
This year, I participated in several competitions, and received First Prize in the 2026 New Talent Festival Online Competition and First Place (Intermediate Category) in the Vienna International Virtuoso Festival Music Competition. I was also awarded a Distinction in the 8th Hong Kong International String Competition, Silver (Youth Category) in the Singapore Raffles International Music Festival, and Outstanding Gold in the 13th Hong Kong International Music Festival. I also completed my Trinity LTCL Violin Diploma exam last month and am currently awaiting the results.
Beyond these awards, the experiences have encouraged me to really persevere, overcome challenges and make breakthroughs throughout my musical journey. Each competition has given me new goals to work towards and has helped me appreciate the joy of performing.
I had the privilege of being selected to participate in the SRIMF Masterclass Series 2026 in Tianjin and Beijing in June, where I learnt from Prof. Weigang Li, Head of Strings at The Tianjin Juilliard, and Prof. Liu Xiao from the Central Conservatory of Music. Their guidance helped me with sound production, musical interpretation and stylistic understanding, giving me valuable insights and a deeper understanding of music-making.
I have been recently selected to participate in a Violin Masterclass at Dewan Filharmonik PETRONAS with violinist Elias David Moncado on 20 August, and I really look forward to gaining new perspectives, exploring new ideas and bringing what I learn into my own playing.
Anna O.
Year 11 Student