Making Menuhin

Tune in to hear the inside stories of the world's best young violinists leading up to the next Menuhin Competition, an international event known as the "Olympics of the violin."

She learned to play on a Froot Loops box. Now, she's set to compete in "The Olympics of the Violin." Maya Anjali Buchanan shares how her rural upbringing in South Dakota, along with a hectic childhood travel schedule, helped transform her into one of the world's top young violinists. Hear her perform the Largo and Allegro Assai movements from Bach's Sonata No 3 in C Major for Solo Violin and Paganini's Caprice No. 5. The 20-year old attends the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, PA, and is a senior competitor in Menuhin Competition Richmond 2021. Visit vpm.org/menuhin for more information on the upcoming competition.

He picked up the instrument at age 3, and by 18 became the first American ever to win the prestigious Lipizer International Violin Competition. Matthew Hakkarainen credits his success to the support of his parents and teachers, as well as his exploration of art and literature, which he uses to inspire the feelings he conveys when playing his violin. Hear him perform the Adagio, Sicilienne and Presto movements from Bach’s Sonata Number 1 in G Minor. The 19-year old attends the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, PA, and is a senior competitor in Menuhin Competition Richmond 2021. Visit vpm.org/menuhin for more information on the upcoming competition.

She views the violin as a replica of the human voice, and dives into the tone and emotions with each performance. Massachusetts native Keila Wakao also draws on a deep emotional connection she's developed with her family through music, particularly with her father, who has performed with the Boston Symphony Orchestra for more than 30 years. Hear her perform Georg Philipp Telemann’s Fantasia for Solo Violin in B Minor. The 14-year old currently studies with Donald Weilerstein and Soovin Kim from the New England Conservatory of Music, and is a junior competitor in Menuhin Competition Richmond 2021. Visit vpm.org/menuhin for more information on the upcoming competition.

His parents knew his potential as a violinist at an early age, even making him stop playing basketball for fear of him damaging his fingers. Tianyu Liu has followed through on his parents' belief, and calls on the technical approach of his home country of China, the focus on musicality from his time in America and the emotion of his audiences to inform his playing style. Hear him perform the third movement from Bach’s Solo Violin Sonata No. 2 in A Minor and the first movement from Eugene Ysaye’s Solo Violin Sonata No. 4. The 21-year old currently attends College of Charleston in South Carolina, and is a senior competitor in Menuhin Competition Richmond 2021. Visit vpm.org/menuhin for more information on the upcoming competition.

Ottawa native Kerson Leong won first prize in the junior division in the Menuhin Competition Oslo 2010, and has since become well-known as one of the world's best violinists. He shares how his father's experimentation helped him approach his music in a scientific manner, and how he used those concepts as the foundation for his playing. Since winning the competition, he has dedicated much of his time to educating other young violinists, even starting a YouTube channel, Art of Etude, where he shares tips and tools for advancing the art form. Hear him perform Estrellita by Manuel Ponce and the Allemande movement from the 4th Violin Sonata by Eugène Ysaÿe. Visit vpm.org/menuhin for more information on Menuhin Competition Richmond 2021.

In addition to playing the violin, Shannon Ma is also passionate about dance, filmmaking and writing. She shares the influences of dance on the musicality of her playing style, as well as excerpts from an essay she wrote on growing up Asian in America, with the goal of helping to break down stereotypes that exist about Asians in the music community. Hear her perform the prelude from Bach's Partita No. 3 in E Major and Kreisler's Marche Miniature Viennese. The 14-year old currently attends the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and is a junior competitor in Menuhin Competition Richmond 2021. Visit vpm.org/menuhin for more information on the upcoming competition.

In 2018, Guido Sant'Anna became the first Brazilian to compete in the Menuhin Competition in more than 30 years. Now, the fan favorite from Geneva is set to return to the competition, and is hoping to bring additional awareness and interest in classical music to South America. Hear Guido perform Nightclub 1960 by Astor Piazolla and Beethoven's Violin Sonata No. 7 in C Major as part of the Menuhin Competition Geneva 2018, as well as the cadenza from Beethoven’s Violin Concerto in D Major. ----- At the age of 5, Raphael Nussbaumer managed to impress world-renowned violin teacher Philip Draganov enough to coach him despite his young age. The Swiss violinist has excelled ever since, crediting his success to his early coaching, as well as the confidence, joy and humor he applies to his playing. Hear Raphael perform the Presto movement from Telemann’s Fantasia No. 10 and Pierre Rode’s Caprice #4, and listen to his commentary on Fritz Kreisler's Tambourin Chinois, which he says always makes him hungry. ----- Both Raphael and Guido will be junior competitors in Menuhin Competition Richmond 2021. Visit vpm.org/menuhin for more information on the upcoming competition.

She's no stranger to the big occasion, having played the National Anthem in front of 40,000 fans and taken a master class with Hilary Hahn. Now, Virginia native Kayleigh Kim has her sights set on representing her home state in the Menuhin Competition when it arrives in Richmond next year. Hear her perform Georg Philipp Telemann’s Fantasia for Solo Violin no. 10 in D Major - also our theme music - and the Adagio movement from Bach’s Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Minor.  The 16-year old is a National Symphony Orchestra Youth Fellow, a member of the Juilliard Pre-College program and is a junior competitor in Menuhin Competition Richmond 2021. Visit vpm.org/menuhin for more information on the upcoming competition.

He thought he was destined to be a dancer, but fell in love with the violin thanks to a fantastic teacher. Hiroki Kasai has another teacher to thank, though, for the most lasting impact on his approach to playing the violin - his current mentor, Rodney Friend, who encouraged him to use color to identify the notes he was playing. Hear him perform the Largo and Allegro Assai movements from JS Bach’s Violin Sonata Number 3 in C Major, and watch video of him sharing an update on his life since the competition was postponed on our website at vpm.org/violin. The 20-year old currently attends the Royal Conservatory of Music in London, England, and is a senior competitor in Menuhin Competition Richmond 2021. Visit vpm.org/menuhin for more information on the upcoming competition.