Last week, Victorian-born violinist Claire Huang had the coveted opportunity of performing at Carnegie Hall after coming second in the junior category of the American Protégé International Piano and Strings Competition. Huang, along with other winners of the Competition, showcased their award-winning audition pieces in a celebratory afternoon at Weill Recital Hall.

Fresh from her New York performance, Huang, who has played violin since the age of four, spoke to Limelight about the Competition and the experience of playing at one of the most famous venues aged just 12. “I was thrilled to play at such a well-known and prestigious concert venue halfway across the world”, she said.

Huang performed Kreisler’s challenging Praeludium and Allegro, which “requires various techniques such as string crossings, double stops, vibrato, natural phrasings and dynamics to create sensation throughout the piece as well as a great sense of musicality”. Huang auditioned with the piece, which she recorded in a professional studio and sent to the panel of judges in America.

She also said that she “enjoyed meeting all the other performers from across the globe”. Getting to travel to New York and Chicago with her parents was also a highlight of her trip.

“Performing at Carnegie Hall made me realise all the opportunities participating in international competitions open up, such as travelling to other countries, gaining performance experience and meeting other young musicians,” she added. “I hope to continue to enter more international competitions to further my career as a professional musician”.

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