Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition Adds Community Engagement Award for 2020

The Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition has announced its panel of nine judges, repertoire and several exciting new offerings and initiatives for its upcoming competition which takes place from January 14-26, 2020 on the Boca Raton campus of the Lynn University Conservatory of Music.

The mission of the EOIVC is to provide talented violinists, ages 16-32, who are at the start of their careers, with networking, management, public relations, community engagement and concert opportunities in addition to a monetary prize. These long-term career development tools reach well beyond financial support, actively demonstrating the strong dedication of the EOIVC to cultivating and nurturing developing musicians as well as encouraging them to engage with the communities they serve.

Jon Robertson (Dean), Elmar Oliveira (Distinguished Artist in Residence – violin) and Robert Weinroth (Palm Beach County Commissioner)

The Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition is only the second competition of its kind solely dedicated to the violin that is based in the United States. It is unique for the defining opportunities it offers to young violinists, ages 16-32, who are striving to establish distinguished careers, as well as its dedication to encouraging these young artists to engage with the communities they serve.

New offerings and initiatives for the 2020 competition include: travel stipends and host families for all Competitors; the creation of a Community Engagement Award that will be given to one Finalist (in addition to their placement prize and judged separately from the main competition); as well as instruments, a bow, and a Musafia Violin Case for distribution among the Finalists.

The repertoire for EOIVC 2020 features a newly-commissioned work for solo violin by Composer-in-Residence, Christopher Theofanidis, and will be premiered at the competition during the Quarter Final Round.

Online submissions closed last week.

The 2020 panel of nine jurists is composed of many of today’s leading violinists and was selected by Elmar Oliveira for their deep commitment to the development of young musicians. The panel consists of artists from six countries:

Andrés Cárdenes (United States)
David Cerone (United States)
Ilya Kaler (United States)
Sung-Ju Lee (South Korea)
Silvia Marcovici (Romania/France)
Mihaela Martin (Romania)
Gerardo Ribeiro (Portugal/United States)
Barry Shiffman (Canada) and
Kathleen Winkler (United States)

Sirena Huang, 1st Prize Winner, Inaugural Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition (2017)

New to the 2020 competitive process, the Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition will award one Finalist a Community Engagement Award of $2,500, to be given in addition to the placement prizes of 1st, 2nd, 3rd and Honorable Mention.

All competitors that advance to the Final Round are required to participate in the Community Engagement Round. Participants in this round will be judged by a predetermined panel of Community Partners, and will give a 45-minute interactive presentation to children, ages 8-11, of Plumosa School of the Arts.

The special Community Engagement Award, will be awarded to the finalist who scores the highest from the predetermined Community Engagement criteria decided by the Community Partners. The Community Panelists include: Bama Lutes Deal, Program Manager, Cultural Concierge, Cultural Council of Palm Beach County; Robert Weinroth, Palm Beach County Commissioner; and Laura Sinclair, Director of Strings, Plumosa Elementary School of the Arts.

Additional Community Panelists will be announced at a later date.

Repertoire and Submissions

2020 candidates, who are no younger than 16 years of age at time of submission and no older than 32 years of age by the end of the competition (January 26, 2020) are selected through an intensive four-step process. A maximum of 20 quarter finalists and three alternates will be selected from the online submissions. The deadline for submissions was September 27, 2019.

Prizes

Between January 14th and January 26th, 2020, the Quarter Finalists (chosen from the online submissions) will compete in three rounds in Boca Raton, Florida.

The final concerts will take place on Saturday, January 25 and Sunday, January 26, 2020, at the Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center on Lynn’s campus and are open to the public.

Four prizes will be awarded. First prize winner will receive $30,000; second $15,000; third $10,000 and Honorable Mention $5,000.

In addition to receiving a monetary prize, the first prize winner will also receive performance engagements, community outreach opportunities and career support in the areas of management and public relations, that includes guaranteed performances with orchestras and at festivals and on concert series worldwide.

To supplement the placement prizes, the first prize winner will also receive a violin, bow and a Musafia case; an additional instrument will be distributed among the other Finalists.

Housing and Travel Stipends for All Competitors

Elmar Oliveira (Distinguished Artist in Residence – violin)

The Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition will offer all competitors housing, through host families; travel stipends (to be used for transportation costs for travel to and from the competition); as well as ride-share vouchers to be utilized during the process of competing in Florida. In addition, competitors will receive a daily lunch stipend, generously provided by Lynn University for on-campus dining options.

Mark your calendars for this exciting event.