First Prize | Age Group A
Esme Arias-Kim
USA
Teacher: Betty Haag
Score: 93.54
Esme, now 10 years old, started playing violin a little before she turned three. She is a student of Betty Haag and is a member of the Magical Strings of Youth with whom she has toured California. She has won First Place in the Confucius Competition, winner in the DePaul Competition and honorable mention in the Walgreens Competition, as well as prizes in the Sejong Competition. She has played in masterclasses for Vadim Gluzman and Grigory Kalinovsky. Recently she made her solo debut with the Oistrakh Symphony of Chicago after winning the Depaul Concerto Festival for Young Performers in her category. Esme plays piano and is also a budding actress and played Bielke in a production of ""Fiddler on the Roof"" with her sister Claire. In her spare time, Esme loves to play with her sister, likes to make video games, build things, run, and is an avid Star Wars fan.
SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THE JURY
She is in the piece with all her heart.
Amazing and charming!
Very impressive stage presence and musicality, with great potential to grow as a wonderful soloist.
Good artistic girl.
Praeludium and Allegro, Fritz Kreisler, 6:00
