The finalists of Queensland Youth Orchestra’s 2019 National Youth Concerto Competition have been announced. The three finalists will compete for a grand prize of $3,000, in the competition which was established in 1976  to encourage the development of young Australian string players and has been won by the likes of Richard Tognetti, Kristian Winther and Ray Chen.

Anna Suzuki

The youngest finalist, 13-year-old violinist Anna Suzuki from Queensland, will perform Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, against 16-year-old New South Wales violinist Natalie Kendy, who will perform Korngold’s Violin Concerto, and 17-year-old Victorian cellist Ji Woo Yoon, who performs the Dvořák Cello Concerto.

Natalie Kendy

“To be selected as a Finalist for the National Youth Concerto Competition, is both an overwhelming feeling of excitement and honour to progress so far in such a prestigious competition,” Kendy, who is Captain of Instrumental Music at Wenona School in North Sydney, told Limelight. “I chose to perform the Korngold Violin Concerto as it explores a variety of atmospheres, colours and emotions in both the soloist and the orchestra, by alternating between fast, exhilarating passages while also including many gorgeous lyrical moments.”