Aron Wallerstein (8) and Katharina Filimonova (10) won the 3rd prize and a special prize respectively at the final round of the 2nd Barcelona International Young Artists Competition, held from November 29 to December 1 at the Escola Superior de Música de Catalunya (ESMUC).
Aron performed Bach’s Concerto in A minor (1st movement) and Kreisler’s Marche Miniature Viennoise, earning third prize in his age category as well as a special award as one of the two youngest finalists.
Katharina performed Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole (1st movement) and the third movement of Vivaldi’s Summer, receiving a special distinction — an invitation to perform with orchestra at the closing Gala Concert.
Their violin teacher, Inna Khriplovich, received special recognition from the jury and the European String Teachers Association Spain for bringing the largest number of finalists to the competition. She noted:
“Participating in high-level competitions and listening to peers from all over the world (this year finalists came from China, Japan, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, the USA, and many others) is incredibly valuable. Children listen to each other, meet new friends, and start communicating. It opens new horizons, inspires them, and motivates them to progress faster.
I especially appreciate that the Barcelona competition strives to acknowledge every participant. In addition to the main prizes, there are many other awards: opportunities to perform with orchestra at the gala concert or in future seasons, full scholarships for prestigious masterclasses, instrument cases, and strings from Thomastik and Jargar. As a result, all participants leave feeling like winners — which, in my opinion, is extremely important at this age.”
Both Aron and Katharina have been studying in Inna Khriplovich’s class since the age of five. Despite their young age, they each attend three violin lessons per week (45 minutes each) at the Zakhar Bron School of Music.
Preparation for the competition began well in advance — already in March for the preliminary round — and they started working on their final-round repertoire at the beginning of the school year.
One of the competition’s unique features is that its winners are offered the opportunity to perform with orchestra at the gala concert. Katharina has already enjoyed this privilege twice — last year and again this year. Stage experience with orchestra is invaluable for young musicians, which is why both students followed their teacher’s advice to participate.
Aron and Katharina are active competitors both regionally and internationally.
Both musicians have already gained significant performance experience:
The event was organized by the Artists International Association and concluded with a Gala Concert featuring selected young soloists performing with chamber orchestra at the renowned Petit Palau de la Música Catalana.
Nineteen young violinists and cellists aged 6 to 14 — representing Spain, Germany, China, Japan, the USA, Latvia, Romania, Switzerland, and other countries — advanced to the finals through a preliminary round. Competitors were divided into three age categories: 6–8, 9–11, and 12–14 years old.
Tags: Aron Wallerstein, Inna Khriplovich, International Music Competitions, Katharina Filimonova
Categories: Music Competition Awards
