On Sunday, 29 September 2024, Križanke was the venue for a remarkable concert by two young musicians – violinist Hina Khuong-Huu and pianist Kai-Min Chang – marking the official opening of the 32nd edition of the Young Virtuosi International Concert Series. First prize winner at the prestigious Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition in 2023, Hina Khuong-Huu thrilled the audience with her remarkable virtuosity and expressive depth. Performing alongside her was pianist Kai-Min Chang, whose appearance at the concert was part of his prize for winning the first Ljubljana Festival International Competition – Piano 2023.
The Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition, held every three years at the Lynn University Conservatory of Music in Boca Raton, Florida, is one of the world’s most prestigious violin competitions. Hina’s outstanding playing won over an expert panel of judges consisting of internationally acclaimed violinists.
At their Ljubljana concert, Hina and Kai-Min demonstrated why they are worthy winners of the most prestigious prizes. Their exquisite performance was characterised by a level of technical perfection and musicality that marks them as true professionals. Together, they conjured up an unforgettable atmosphere and captivated the audience with their extraordinary maturity and sovereign artistry.
As well as first-rate music, Sunday’s event saw a visit by a delegation from the Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition, who had come from Florida especially for this event in order to support young musical talents and express pride in their achievements. Delegation members Jill Arbetter, Elmar Oliveira, Vladimir Radosavljević and Roby Lakatos met the organisers of the Ljubljana Festival, including general and artistic director Darko Brlek, with whom they discussed opportunities for future collaboration.
An evening characterised by remarkable musical performances that were enthusiastically received by the audience was thus also an opportunity to network with others from the world of international classical music and left a lasting impression on musicians and organisers alike.
