EOIVC 2026 Preliminary Round Competitors
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Sameer Agrawal
(20, United States)
Sameer Agrawal studies with Midori Goto at the Curtis Institute of Music, where he holds the Dorothy Richard Starling Foundation Fellowship. Previously, he was a Fellow at the Academy of the Music Institute of Chicago and the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative.
This summer, Sameer was a Fellow at the Steans Institute of the Ravinia Festival. He has appeared on WFMT’s Introductions, the Young Steinway Concert Series, the Stars of Tomorrow series, and with the Canton Symphony, Sendai Philharmonic, and Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago, among others. He also regularly performs recitals in the Philadelphia area.
Sameer received second prize in the 2022 Cooper International Competition, was a National YoungArts winner, a semifinalist in the Johansen International Competition, and a quarterfinalist in the Sendai and Fischoff Competitions. He is currently a Guarneri Hall NFP Affiliate Young Artist and performs on a violin courtesy of Guarneri Hall NFP and Darnton & Hersh Fine Violins, Chicago.
I-Hao Cheng
(27, Taiwan)
I-Hao began his musical journey at the age of five under the guidance of his mother, first exploring piano, cello, and violin. His passion for the violin soon deepened, leading him to focus exclusively on the instrument. At 12, he entered the studio of renowned violinist Mikhail Kopelman, a pivotal step in his early development. His dedication and artistry later earned him a full scholarship to the Royal Conservatory of Music, where he studied with distinguished violin pedagogues Victor Danchenko and Barry Shiffman.
In 2016, I-Hao was accepted into the Curtis Institute of Music, refining his technique and musicality under the mentorship of Midori Goto, Ida Kavafian, Aaron Rosand, Arnold Steinhardt, Shmuel Ashkenasi, Gary Graffman, Steven Tenenbom, and Pamela Frank. He now continues his studies with violinist Vadim Gluzman.
His artistry has been recognized through numerous honors. Beyond music, he enjoys sports and chess. He currently performs on instruments graciously provided by CANIMEX INC. of Drummondville, Québec.
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Sophie Hing Fei Leung
(18, Hong Kong)
A native of Hong Kong, 18-year-old violinist Sophie Hing Fei Leung currently studies at the Colburn Conservatory of Music in Los Angeles with Robert Lipsett. Born into a musical family, she previously studied at the Colburn Music Academy as a Kohl Scholar and at the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts under Ivan Chan.
Sophie made her orchestral debut with the Hong Kong Orchestra under the baton of Kin-Fung Leung and was featured in an interview with Radio Television Hong Kong. She has been recognized with numerous awards, including Grand Prize Winner of the Hong Kong Music Talent and Performance Award, Grand Prize Winner of Hong Kong Generation Next Arts, Finalist in the Hong Kong Music Society Young Artist Award, and First Prize in the Pasadena Showcase House for the Arts Instrumental Competition.
She has also participated in leading summer programs, including the Heifetz International Music Institute, Kneisel Hall, and the Meadowmount School of Music.
Xiang Han
(25, China)
Xiang Han is recognized as an outstanding and innovative talent of the Central Conservatory of Music, where she began studying violin at the age of four under Professor Zhang Ti and Associate Professor Tang Weijian.
She won third prize in the 4th Leonid Kogan International Competition for Young Violinists and was selected to participate in the 16th International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition in Poland. In recent years, she has performed extensively across China and abroad, giving more than ten solo recitals in cities including Beijing, Hangzhou, and Qingdao, as well as tango chamber concerts in over twenty cities nationwide.
Xiang has also appeared in chamber concerts across the United States, earning praise from both domestic and international critics. In 2020, she was invited to perform in award-winner concerts in Barcelona, Spain, and at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall in New York. She previously served as concertmaster of the Junior Chamber, Junior Symphony, and Youth Symphony Orchestras of CCOM.
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Yiyang Hou
(21, China)
Yiyang Hou is a full scholarship student at the Curtis Institute of Music, where she studies with violinist-educator Ida Kavafian and violinist Benjamin Beilman.
At 18, she was elected Principal Second Violin of the Curtis Symphony Orchestra, performing during the 2022–23 season under conductors Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Michael Stern, and others.
Yiyang has appeared in major venues including the Shanghai Concert Hall, Shanghai Symphony Hall, Oriental Art Center, Shanghai Grand Theatre, Suzhou Jinji Lake Concert Hall, Guiyang Grand Theatre, Ningbo Grand Theatre, Warner Concert Hall, and Longwood Gardens. She has also performed across the United States in concert halls in San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Davis, among others.
As a soloist, she has appeared with the Polish Amadeus Chamber Orchestra, the Shanghai Opera House Symphony Orchestra, and the Guiyang Symphony Orchestra, collaborating with conductors such as Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Tang Muhai, Anna Duczmal-Mróz, and Nic McGegan.
Alena Hove
(26, United States / Japan)
Praised for her “rich, smooth tone” and “nuance and grace” (CityArts), violinist Alena Hove is known for her musical clarity and charismatic stage presence. She made her solo debut at age nine with the Port Gardner Bay Chamber Orchestra and has since appeared with the Pacific Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Seattle Philharmonic, Burbank Philharmonic, and San Fernando Valley Symphony Orchestra, among others.
Hove has performed at the GRAMMY Museum’s premiere of Chevalier, a tribute recital in the historic Heifetz Studio, and prelude recitals for both the La Jolla Music Society and Seattle Chamber Music Society. She appeared in the Celebrate Colburn Gala at Walt Disney Concert Hall with conductor Stéphane Denève and, as part of the Recovered Voices project, in The Music of Poland. Hove has also performed with Camerata Pacifica, the Nevada Chamber Music Festival, and the Festival Pau Casals.
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Julia Jones
(21, United States)
Violinist Julia Jones, 21, is from New York City and is pursuing her Bachelor of Music degree at The Juilliard School, where she studies with Itzhak Perlman and Laurie Smukler and is mentored by Viktor Tretiakov. She previously studied with Li Lin.
Julia has participated in numerous prestigious programs and festivals, including the International Music Academy in Cremona, the International Academy of Music in Castelnuovo di Carfagnana, Crans-Montana Classics Masterclasses, Concertate Masterclasses, the Taipei Music Academy and Festival, and The Perlman Music Program. She also took part in the Pacific Music Festival, where she served as concertmaster for the Program A concerts, the Dorothy DeLay Masterclass Series, and the Shlomo Mintz Academy.
She has played in masterclasses with many distinguished artists, including Dmitri Berlinsky, Vadim Gluzman, Cho-Liang Lin, Hilary Hahn, Midori, and David Chan, among others.
Wenqi Ke
(27, China)
Chinese violinist Wenqi Ke, from Shanghai, is currently pursuing her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at the Manhattan School of Music, where she studies with Todd Phillips and Nicholas Mann. She previously earned both her Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from the Colburn Conservatory of Music under the mentorship of Robert Lipsett.
Wenqi has distinguished herself internationally as both a soloist and orchestral leader. She has served as concertmaster of the Pacific Music Festival and as associate concertmaster for concerts with the London Symphony Orchestra and the New York String Orchestra Seminar.
She was the first-prize winner of the Hong Kong International Competition and the second-prize winner of the Balsom Duo Competition. Wenqi has also performed with the Shanghai Chamber Orchestra and the Colburn Orchestra under Maestro Angus Webster.
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Youjin Lee
(30, South Korea)
Violinist Youjin Lee was born in South Korea and attended Yewon School in Seoul before moving to the United States, where she studied with Danielle Belen at the Colburn School and later graduated from the Curtis Institute of Music under Ida Kavafian. She is currently studying with Boris Kuschnir.
In 2013, just three years after arriving in the United States, Youjin won first prize at the Klein International String Competition and first prize along with the Bach Special Prize at the Stulberg International String Competition, establishing herself on the international stage. In 2018, she earned first prize and the Audience Award at the Washington International Competition.
Since then, Youjin has continued to build her career as a dynamic and expressive performer, steadily gaining recognition on concert stages around the world.
Youngjoo Lee
(26, South Korea)
Violinist Youngjoo Lee is currently pursuing her Master of Arts degree in Violin at the Hochschule für Musik, Theater und Medien Hannover, having completed her Bachelor’s degree at Seoul National University. Before her university studies, she trained at Yewon School and Seoul Arts High School, graduating in Violin Performance.
Lee has earned numerous awards, including first prizes at the Haewe Pagyun, Strad, Korea Young Artist, and CBS National Music Competitions, and second prizes at the Segye Ilbo and Yejin Music Competitions. She has also received recognition in several others, including the Eumyeon, Music Spring and Autumn, and Yewon National Music Competitions.
An active festival participant, she has appeared at the Kronberg Academy Festival, Forum Artium, and International Musical Artistry Goslar, and has taken part in masterclasses with esteemed artists such as Vadim Gluzman, Kyungsun Lee, Kowoon Yang, Mikyung Lee, and Euimyung Kim.
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Hyun Jae Lim
(28, South Korea)
Violinist Hyun Jae Lim, from Seoul, South Korea, has appeared as a soloist with the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Houston Symphony. She has performed in major venues including Verizon Hall, the National Gallery of Art, Victoria Hall in Geneva, Miller Outdoor Theatre, and Jordan Hall.
Hyun Jae has received numerous awards worldwide, including prizes at the Menuhin Competition in Geneva, the Ima Hogg Competition, the Alfred M. Greenfield Competition, and the Singapore International Violin Competition. As a chamber musician, she has performed at major festivals and collaborated with renowned artists such as Vadim Gluzman, Gary Hoffman, Shmuel Ashkenasi, Atar Arad, Peter Wiley, Milena Pajaro-van de Stadt, and Steven Tenenbom.
She earned her Bachelor of Music degree as a Howard and Carol Lidz Fellow at the Curtis Institute of Music, where she studied with Midori Goto, Shmuel Ashkenasi, and Arnold Steinhardt, and is currently pursuing her master’s degree there.
Zixiang Lin
(26, China)
Violinist Zixiang Lin, a native of Fujian, China, is dedicated to creating thought-provoking concert experiences. He won second prize at the 2018 Guangya International Violin Competition and made his debut as a soloist-conductor at age fifteen in Shanghai and at seventeen at the Salzburg Festival.
Since then, Lin has performed at Carnegie Hall with Maxim Vengerov and appeared with ensembles including NYO-USA, the Shanghai City Orchestra, Ningbo Symphony Orchestra, and Fujian Symphony Orchestra. He is currently pursuing a Graduate Diploma at the New England Conservatory, performing on a 2024 Jiang Feng violin.
Lin earned his bachelor’s degree at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music and his master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music. His mentors include Nicholas Mann, Xian He, Zhi-Jong Wang, Ayano Ninomiya, and Lun Li.
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Maria Lundina
(25, Israel / Russia)
Born in Moscow, Maria Lundina began studying violin at the age of four. In 2017, she graduated with honors from the Gnessin Moscow Special School of Music, and in 2023 she earned her degree from the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory, where she was named “Best Graduate of the Year.” She also completed a course with Professor Boris Kuschnir at the Musik und Kunst Privatuniversität in Vienna and was recently selected as a Soloist Academy student at the Verbier Festival.
Maria is a prize winner in numerous international violin competitions, including first prize at the M. Yashvili International Competition (2019), second prize at both the Tibor Varga (2025) and “Symphony of Yamal” (2024) International Competitions, and third prize at the E. Ysaÿe International Competition (2024) and All-Russian Delphic Games (2018).
She has participated in major music festivals, attended masterclasses with Pierre Amoyal, Dora Schwarzberg, and Ilya Gringolts, and performed across Russia and Europe.
Sophi Rochlin
(24, Israel)
Israeli violinist Sophi Rochlin began playing at the age of five with Elena Mazor. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree at the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler in Berlin with Professor Ulf Wallin, after earning her Bachelor of Music degree from Folkwang University of the Arts in Essen under Professor Boris Garlitsky.
Sophi has performed at leading festivals including Keshet Eilon, Allegra Festival, Elba Isola Musicale d’Europa, and Dvořákova Praha Festival, and has been supported by the Jerusalem Music Center since childhood. As a chamber musician, she has collaborated with Boris Garlitsky, Vadim Gluzman, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Frans Helmerson, and Mihaela Martin, and has participated in masterclasses with Leonidas Kavakos, Miriam Fried, Ilya Kaler, Dora Schwarzberg, and Zakhar Bron.
A special prize winner at the Vladimir Spivakov Competition (2018) and finalist at the Eugène Ysaÿe Competition (2025), Sophi performs on a 1751 Sanctus Seraphin violin generously loaned by Villa Musica.
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Kristóf Tóth
(25, Hungary)
Born in Budapest in 2000, violinist Kristóf Tóth began studying violin at the age of four. He earned his master’s degree from the Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest, studying with Kristóf Baráti.
Since making his orchestral debut at thirteen with the Budapest Strings Chamber Orchestra, he has performed regularly with Hungarian and European ensembles including the Franz Liszt Chamber Orchestra, Concerto Budapest, Haydn Philharmonie, MÁV Symphony Orchestra, Budweis Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Cluj Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2018, he premiered and recorded Miklós Csemiczky’s Violin Concerto.
An active chamber musician, Kristóf has performed at leading festivals such as Festival Academy Budapest, the Gstaad Menuhin Festival, IMS Prussia Cove, Nume Festival, Kaposfest, Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival, and the Auer Festival. He has also participated in masterclasses with distinguished artists including Mihaela Martin, Shlomo Mintz, György Pauk, Pavel Vernikov, and Augustin Hadelich.
Julia-Xiaozhuo Wang
(18, Austria / China)
Born in 2007, violinist Julia-Xiaozhuo Wang began playing at the age of three. She has won numerous international prizes, including second prize at both the 2025 Cooper International Competition and the 2022 International Arthur Grumiaux Competition, and top prizes at the 2024 Stuttgart International Violin Competition and the 2023 Zhuhai Mozart Competition. She also received honors at the Classical Strings, Ernst & Szymanowski, and Wieniawski-Lipinski Competitions.
As a soloist, Julia-Xiaozhuo has performed with the Stuttgart Philharmonic, Baden-Baden Philharmonic, Armenian National Symphony Orchestra, Salzburg Chamber Soloists, Arigoni Orchestra, and ProMusica Chamber Orchestra. Her festival appearances include performances at the ISA International Music Festival, the ORF benefit concert Licht ins Dunkel, and the International Music Festivals of Armenia, Chieti, Cervo, and Windsor.
Julia-Xiaozhuo began studying violin in Vienna at age twelve and will enter the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich in 2025 to study with Ingolf Turban.
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Ruiyi Wang
(23, China)
Violinist Ruiyi Wang studies at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music under the mentorship of Professor Huang Chenxing. He has received numerous awards, including first prize in the China Division of the Khachaturian International Violin Competition, first prize at the 14th Hong Kong International Violin Competition, second prize at the Russian Yamal Symphony Young Musicians Competition, and third prize in the adult division of the 31st Andrea Postacchini International Violin Competition in Italy.
Ruiyi has performed as a soloist with major orchestras, including the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Russian National Orchestra. He appeared as a featured soloist at the opening concert of the 39th Shanghai Spring International Music Festival and returned the following year to perform in the festival’s 40th-anniversary concert presented by the Shanghai Conservatory of Music.
Wendi Wang
(27, China)
Violinist Wendi Wang is a resident artist at the Normandie Chamber Music Festival and with the Beijing Contemporary Soloists. She is a prizewinner of the Tokyo Minato International Music Competition, Mozarteum University Summer Academy in Salzburg, the International Violin Competition in Honor of Karol Lipiński and Henryk Wieniawski, the HKIVS/Shlomo Mintz International Violin Competition, the Schoenfeld International String Competition, and the Prix de Rome.
As a soloist, Wendi has appeared with leading ensembles including the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Academy of St Martin in the Fields, China National Symphony Orchestra, China Philharmonic Orchestra, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, and Shanghai Opera Symphony Orchestra. She has performed at the Wernigerode Music Festival in Germany, the Beijing International Music Festival, and the New Year’s Concerts in Shanghai and Qingdao, among others. Upcoming engagements include performances with the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra and Wuxi Symphony Orchestra during their 2025–26 seasons.
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Zhixin Zhang
(25, China / Switzerland)
Zhixin Zhang began playing the violin at the age of five and was admitted to the Middle School of the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing at ten, ranking first in his entrance exam. He served as concertmaster of the school’s orchestra and studied with renowned musicians including Ning Feng, Antje Weithaas, and Qian Zhou. He is currently pursuing his bachelor’s degree with Professor Xiaoming Wang at the Kalaidos Musikhochschule Zürich.
Zhang has been a semifinalist at major competitions including the Wieniawski (2022), Montreal (2023), Markneukirchen (2025), and Schoenfeld (2025) International Violin Competitions. He has earned top prizes at the Valsesia Musica, Kertész, MingClassics, Lunigiana, and Wiener International Musikwettbewerb, and was a winner of the Stradivari Competition in Switzerland.
He has performed in venues such as the Musikverein in Vienna and has given recitals in Rome. Zhang plays a Vuillaume violin generously loaned by the Maggini Stiftung.
EOIVC 2026 Alternates
Sung Chi Chang
(24, Taiwan)*
Born in 2001 in Hsinchu, Taiwan, violinist Sung Chi Chang has been acclaimed for his early virtuosity and international accomplishments. He made his concerto debut at age ten with the Taiwan Academy String Orchestra at the National Concert Hall and performed at Carnegie Hall at thirteen.
A graduate of the Colburn School, the New England Conservatory, and the Yale School of Music, Chang studied with Professors Tai Murray and Paul Biss. He has appeared as a soloist with numerous ensembles, including the Taipei Symphony Orchestra, Taipei Civic Symphony Orchestra, Taipei Civic Wind Ensemble, and Siroya Symphony Orchestra.
He frequently collaborates with renowned pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, performing at major venues such as Walt Disney Concert Hall. A prizewinner of the LISMA, Muse, and Sylvia Lee Competitions, Chang currently serves as Artistic Director of the Taiwan Resonance Chamber Music Society (TRMS).
*Sung Chi Chang will 25 by January 18, 2026.
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Youngjoo Lee
(26, South Korea)
Violinist Jinyoung Yoon began playing the violin at age five and has since earned numerous honors, including the Grand Prize in the Music Education Competition and first prize in the Baroque Competition in Korea.
In 2010, she was featured in the Kumho Prodigy Recital Series and later appeared as a soloist with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra under Myung-Whun Chung. She went on to study at The Juilliard School’s Pre-College Division, where she won the Pre-College Ensemble Competition and appeared as a soloist. She also received first prize at the ECSO Competition.
A former member of Curtis on Tour, Jinyoung served as Concertmaster at the Curtis Institute of Music in 2024. Her festival appearances include Yellow Barn, Great Mountains, Heifetz International Music Institute, and Kronberg Masterclasses. She studied at Curtis with Aaron Rosand, Midori Goto, Ida Kavafian, and Erin Keefe, and in 2025 entered Yale University to study with Augustin Hadelich.