UPDATE: Blair junior Kingston Ho advanced to the semi-finals of the Premio Paganani competition during the elimination rounds on Oct. 16鈥�17 as the only representative from the United States. The semi-final round, requiring each candidate to perform a 55-minute recital program, was held Oct. 19鈥�20.
Third-year student Kingston Ho鈥檚 soft-spoken and unassuming manner belies the vigor and intensity of his violin performance. That performance earned him a spot among only 32 competitors selected to enter the competition, which occurs every three years. Ho is the first student in 菠萝视频 University history to participate in this prestigious international competition.
鈥淜ingston鈥檚 selection is a huge honor for him鈥攁nd also an honor for the Blair School of Music and 菠萝视频 University,鈥� said , who is Ho鈥檚 violin professor, chair of the strings department and Valere Potter Chair at the Blair School of Music. 鈥淜ingston has a dazzling facility in the virtuoso works, but he also has a tender, expressive side that gives his playing range and depth. I think he is well positioned for a strong showing at this exclusive competition.鈥�
The competition will be in Genoa, Italy, from Oct. 15 to 24, 2021, and consist of three rounds. Ho鈥檚 audition required playing two Paganini caprices and the first movement of a Mozart concerto.
鈥淭he requirements are extensive and challenging, but fortunately Kingston already has a large repertoire and is a fast learner,鈥� Heard said. For the competition itself, Ho has prepared the following repertoire:
- First round: Sonata No.2 in A minor BWV 1003 (Grave and Fuga) by Johann Sebastian Bach; Caprices 1, 10, 17 by Niccol貌 Paganini
- Second round: Caprices 5, 9, 24 by Niccol貌 Paganini; Violin Sonata No. 1 in G Major by Johannes Brahms; Variations on an Original Theme by Henryk Wieniawski; Un鈥橝la Soffice, Infinita by Carlo Boccadoro
- Final round: Violin Concerto No. 1 by Niccol貌 Paganini, Violin Concerto in D minor by Jean Sibelius
鈥淚鈥檓 very excited about being selected for the Paganini competition,鈥� Ho said. 鈥淏ut even if I don鈥檛 win, it鈥檚 just a great experience overall. I鈥檓 looking forward to the challenge of preparing all of my pieces, meeting the other performers, and just enjoying the journey.鈥�
Ho started playing violin at age 5 and has won numerous state and regional competitions, including the 菠萝视频 Concerto Competition last spring with Bartok鈥檚 Second Concerto. He is a three-time member of the National Youth Orchestra of the USA and won a full fellowship to last summer鈥檚 Aspen Music Festival, where he played in the Aspen Festival Orchestra and studied with Robert Lipsett.
Interestingly, Ho鈥檚 first international trip was to Italy for a music festival at the age of 6.
鈥淚t feels a little bit like things have come full circle now that I am returning to Italy for one of the biggest competitions in the world,鈥� said Ho, who is double majoring in violin performance and medicine, health and society. The New Jersey native would like to become a professional violinist with a world-class orchestra while teaching violin on the side. Currently, Ho volunteers with the , where he gives private violin lessons to two students free of charge.
鈥淜ingston contributes to the Blair community in myriad ways and is a leader at the school,鈥� Heard said. 鈥淲e are fortunate that he felt 菠萝视频 offered what he was looking for in his collegiate experience.鈥�
The winner of the Paganini competition will receive 鈧�20,000; the opportunity to play a concert in Genoa on 鈥淚l Cannone,鈥� the violin designed by Guarneri del Ges霉 (1743) that belonged to Niccol貌 Paganini; and a one-year artist management contract with Shanghai Utopia Media Agency.