Elena Kawazu United States, 20, Senior
Elena Kawazu began her violin studies aged four, made her international orchestra debut with the Staatskapelle Weimar at the age of nine and has been a prizewinner of several international violin competitions: Wieniawski in Lublin, Louis Spohr, and Kloster Schöntal, among others. She currently studies with Prof. Ilya Gringolts at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste and was a former student of Prof. Zakhar Bron in Germany as well as Prof. Shirley Givens at the Pre-College Division of the Juilliard School. Elena plays on a 1756 Gennaro Gagliano, provided to her by a generous sponsor in Switzerland.
“I am extremely excited to participate in the Menuhin Competition - my first experience with this Competition was at the Menuhin Competition 2008 in Cardiff as a 10-year-old and I am excited to be part of another edition so many years later. Despite being very young at that time, I remember being so very motivated to improve and grow from the competition and I hope that this time will be even more of a learning experience.”
Programme
Repertoire
- Bach Solo Sonata in G minor, BWV 1001, Siciliana and Presto
- Mozart First movement of Violin Concerto No. 1 in B-flat major, K.207
- Paganini Caprice No. 11 for Solo Violin, Op.1
- Kreisler Romance, Op. 4
