By Keerthi Selvam

In May of 2020, a new era of classical musicians will try their hand at winning one of the most distinguished competitions in the world. If you have no idea what I’m talking about, don’t stress. The Menuhin Competition is a prestigious competition for young violinists, specifically those under twenty-two. The competition is held every two years, and some of the most sophisticated players from all over the world have participated.

So, where did this competition come from?

The story starts in 1916, where a child by the name of Yehudi Menuhin was born in New York. He picked up the violin at the age of five and displayed incredible skill, leading to his debut at the age of just eleven. Labeled a prodigy, Menuhin proceeded to travel the world. He began to study in Paris, but spent most of his career playing in England. Simply put, Menuhin had numerous spellbinding performances, including one at Lake Placid, USA for the Winter Olympics. However, he also founded the Menuhin Competition in 1983. Yehudi Menuhin died in 1999, leaving behind a legacy. Some of the most well-known musicians that have competed in the Menuhin include Ray Chen and Julia Fischer. In 2018, however, was a ten-year old by the name of Chloe Chua.

Chloe Chua (above) playing at the Menuhin Competition at Geneva in 2018

Her repertoire included Vivaldi’s popular ‘Winter’ from Le quattro stagioni, or ‘the Four Seasons’ and Beethoven’s Violin Sonata No. 8. Last year, the competition was held in Geneva. This year, however, the Menuhin is taking place in Richmond, VA, making it accessible to those of us who
live nearby.

For those of us who don’t quite fancy classical music, why not give the Menuhin a try? It may just
shatter your vision of classical music being played solely by men from the 18th century.