South Korean violinist in wheelchair wins top prize at US competition

바이올리니스트 임현재 [사진=EOIVC 홈페이지 캡처]

SEOUL, January 20 (AJP) - Violinist Lim Hyun-jae won the triennial Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition (EOIVC) in Boca Raton, Florida last weekend.

At last Sunday's finals at Lynn University Conservatory of Music, Lim, 28, performed Jean Sibelius' "Violin Concerto in D minor" while seated in a wheelchair and won the top prize among four finalists.

She also won two special prizes awarded to the best performers of the EOIVC's commissioned work.

Lim received US$30,000 in prize money and an additional $20,000 for special awards, along with the opportunity to perform more than 30 times over the next three years on international stages including Boston and New York, as well as Cremona, Italy.

The graduate of the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia began playing the violin at the age of seven.

She returned to Seoul during the coronavirus pandemic while studying in the U.S., but a traffic accident in May 2020 forced her to stop performing for more than four years. After undergoing surgery six times and a lengthy rehabilitation, she returned to the stage in June 2024.

Founded in 2017 by American violinist and winner of Moscow's prestigious Tchaikovsky International Competition Elmar Oliveira, the EOIVC aims to help young musicians build independent careers. The competition is held every three years for those aged 18 to 30.
Yoon Ju-hye 기자 jujusun@ajunews.com

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