Violin comp raises the bar

• Published date: 01 June 2023
• Publication title: Mountain Scene

IT used to be held every two years, but, due to Covid, it’s been four years since the Michael Hill International Violin Competition was staged

However, going by what Arrowtown-based mega-jeweller Sir Michael Hill — its colourful founder and chief sponsor — has to say, it may have been worth the wait.

That’s because he reckons the standard of this year’s quarter-finalists competing in Queenstown this weekend — before the semis and finals are held in Auckland — has never been higher.

‘‘I think what’s happened, now we’re one of the first [international competitions] back on the road, we’ve had an enormous flood of entries of such unprecedented standard.’’ No fewer than 160 violinists aged between 18 and 28 have entered.

‘‘We’ve always managed to have one or two really great violinists, but this time they’re all good.

‘‘The competition, over 20-odd years, has developed into quite a significant competition that is particularly good...