The International Violin Competition of Indianapolis

Violinist.com Interview with Sirena Huang, Winner of the 2022 Indianapolis Violin Competition

October 6, 2022, 9:49 AM · At age 28, this was Sirena Huang's last opportunity to enter the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis.

"This competition means everything to me," Huang said. "I grew up watching this competition. It was like the Olympics for my family, we would all come together in the living room and listen to the livestreams - ever since I was eight years old. Then finally, being able to participate in it - I'd been looking forward to this for the longest time. I really, really wanted to be here."

So when, two days before the Preliminary Rounds began, she tested positive for COVID, her heart sank to the floor.

"I could not believe it," she said. "I'd never had COVID, during this entire pandemic, and then this was really happening, right on the day the competition began? The first thought that came into my mind was, 'Do I have to go home now?'"

As it turned out, she didn't have to go home, and she stayed until the end and won the Gold Medal. But it was an arduous path. In an interview the day after the Awards Ceremony, Huang talked to me about her earliest days playing the violin, about studying at Yale after 14 years at Juilliard, about getting through the pandemic, and about her experience at The Indianapolis. Keep reading...

Comments (1)

REVIEW: 2022 Indianapolis Competition Concerto Finals Day 2: Claire Wells, SooBeen Lee and Sirena Huang

Laurie Niles

September 25, 2022, 11:11 AM · When I'm watching any of the Finalists perform in the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, I know that I'm watching an artist who is going places. Because with this competition, it's not just the Gold Medal winner who makes a career - history has shown that these violinists are all top-notch musicians who are headed for soloist careers, or concertmaster positions, or a high-level teaching career.

So on Saturday, even though everyone was waiting anxiously to learn who had won the Gold (congratulations Sirena Huang! Read about laureate placements here), I was still excited to hear the final three performers play their big concertos with a symphony orchestra.

The three violinists who played on Saturday included Claire Wells, SooBeen Lee, and Sirena Huang. You can watch their performances (and other previous competition performances) by clicking here. Keep reading...

Sirena Huang of the U.S. Wins Gold Medal in Indianapolis Competition

Laurie Niles

September 24, 2022, 10:06 PM · INDIANAPOLIS – Sirena Huang has won the Gold Medal in the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis.

Here are the laureates:

Gold Medal ($75,000): Sirena Huang, 28, of the United States
Silver Medal ($30,000): Julian Rhee, 22, of the United States
Bronze Medal ($15,000): Minami Yoshida, 24, of Japan
Fourth Place ($10,000): Claire Wells, 21, of United States
Fifth Place ($8,000): SooBeen Lee, 21, of South Korea
Sixth Place ($6,000): Joshua Brown, 22, of the United States

Keep reading...

REVIEW: 2022 Indianapolis Competition Concerto Finals Day 1: Joshua Brown, Julian Rhee, Minami Yoshida

Laurie Niles

September 24, 2022, 1:28 PM · INDIANAPOLIS - On Friday, events moved downtown for the final two days of the International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, featuring each of the six finalists performing a major violin concerto with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra at the orchestra's elegant home venue, Hilbert Circle Theatre, near the city's central Soldiers and Sailors Monument.

Three violinists played on Friday: Joshua Brown, Julian Rhee and Minami Yoshida. You can watch their performances (and other previous competition performances) by clicking here.

Violinists Claire Wells, SooBeen Lee and Sirena Huang will perform at 8 p.m. ET tonight, and you can watch the livestream by clicking here.
Keep reading...