Australian violinist Tim Yu won first prize at this year’s Gisborne International Music Competition in New Zealand on Saturday night. The 20-year-old Sydney-based violinist, currently studying at the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, took home $10,000, while in second place another Australian – 16-year-old cellist from Victoria, Charlotte Miles – took home $5,000 in second place. Third place went to New Zealand violinist Aziel Verner, who received $3000 and also took out the prize for best performance of a work by Bach.

Violinist Tim Yu

The Gisborne International Music Competition, held in Gisborne on the East coast of New Zealand’s North Island, has run annually since it was founded in 1989 by Ian Dunsmore, and this year’s final was attended by New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and her partner Clarke Gayford, the Gisborne Herald reported.

Yu and Miles aren’t the only Australians to do well in this year’s Gisborne competition – which boasted 48 competitors from around the world – with cellist Caleb Wong winning the International String Player Award, flautist Eliza Shephard winning the International Woodwind Player Award and Cian Malikides winning the Bass Player Award.

This year’s competition was adjudicated...