Ukrainian Violinist Udovychenko Wins Queen Elizabeth Competition

Korean-American Ellie Choi and Julian Lee Rank 3rd and 5th

At the Queen Elizabeth Competition that concluded on the 1st (current time), Ukrainian-born violinist Dmytro Udovychenko took first place. Second place went to Joshua Brown (USA), and third place was awarded to Ellie Choi (USA). Following them, Kevin Chu (USA) ranked fourth, Julian Lee (USA) fifth, and Yoshida Minami (Japan) sixth. Both third-place Ellie Choi and fifth-place Julian Lee are of Korean descent. South Korea's Choi Songha, Anna Im, and Yoo Dayoon also reached the final round, which featured 12 competitors, but did not place within the top six who receive separate awards and were officially recorded as "unranked laureates."

The winner Udovychenko, born in 1999, studied under Ludmila Barenina at the Kharkiv Music Boarding School and Boris Garlitsky at Essen Folkwang University. Since 2022, he has been studying with Christian Tetzlaff at the Kronberg Academy. He won the Montreal Competition last year and previously placed third in the 2022 Sibelius Competition and second in the 2018 Joseph Joachim Competition. In the final, he performed the designated piece by Thierry Escaich as well as Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1.

Udovychenko became a topic of discussion at this award ceremony for refusing to shake hands with juror Vadim Repin. Repin, along with his wife, ballerina Svetlana Zakharova, is considered a prominent pro-Putin figure.

Ukrainian-born violinist Dmytro Udovychenko, winner of the 2024 Queen Elizabeth Competition
[Photo by SBYU]

Second-place Joshua Brown, born in 1999, studied under Donald Weilerstein at the New England Conservatory in Boston. He has achieved notable awards including the gold medal at the 2023 China International Competition, first place at the 2019 Leopold Mozart Competition, and sixth place at the 2022 Indianapolis Competition. In the final, he performed Brahms' Violin Concerto.

Third-place Ellie Choi, born in 2001, is a prodigy majoring in economic philosophy at Columbia University while also attending the Juilliard School. She earned second place at last year's China International Competition, first place at the Qingdao International Violin Competition, sixth place at the 2022 Fritz Kreisler International Competition, and third place at the 2022 Dubai Classic Strings International Competition. In the final, she performed Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1.

Korean-American violinist Ellie Choi, who won 3rd place at the 2024 Queen Elizabeth Competition.
[Photo by SBU]

SBU & Partners, the official partner of the Queen Elizabeth Competition, announced that they will conduct an Asia tour featuring the competition laureates this coming September. The top three winners will tour China and Taiwan before performing in South Korea. Recitals are scheduled for September 24 at Uljin Culture and Arts Center, September 25 at Gyeongju Arts Center, September 27 at Dangjin Arts Center, and September 29 at Jeju Seogwipo Arts Center. Pianist Luca Monti will accompany them.

Winner Udovychenko is scheduled to perform as a soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra at a regular concert held at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on September 26.

Additionally, in November, Udovychenko and Ellie Choi will perform at the DMZ OPEN International Music Festival. They will hold a recital on November 12 at Goyang Aram Nuri and on November 16, winner Udovychenko will collaborate in the closing performance of the DMZ Festival Orchestra at Goyang Aram Nuri.