17-year-old Brazilian violinist wins international competition in Austria

On Sunday, September 25, the 17-year-old Brazilian violinist, Guido Sant’Anna, won the 10th edition of the Fritz Kreisler international competition, in Vienna, Austria.

Sant’Anna is from Parelheiros, in São Paulo City’s South Zone. He thrilled the audience when he performed in one of Europe’s main concert halls.

On social networks, the teenager celebrated his first international award and said it was “epic”.

Guido Sant’Anna will receive a cash prize of €20,000 (US$19,000) and will perform in concerts with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Nizhny Novgorod State Philharmonic, and Sicilian Symphony Orchestra.

A recording and tour of Asia are also planned for May 2023 with World Cultural Networks.

In 2019, the Paulistano was even called to participate in the Menuhin Competition in London. That year, he was one of six finalists among 317 musicians, from 51 nationalities.

THE COMPETITION

The 10th Fritz Kreisler International Violin Competition began on September 17, 2022, and marked the 60th anniversary of the death of Fritz Kreisler, considered one of the greatest violinists.

Forty-six violinists of different nationalities confirmed their participation in the first round of the competition, which ran until September 19 and included 11 jurors, none from Latin America.

At this stage, the candidates performed a recital for solo violin with a maximum duration of 25 minutes.

Of the more than 40 candidates, only 18 qualified for the semifinals.

Six went to the finals, and only three made it to the grand final: the Brazilian Guido Sant’Anna, the Israeli Michael Shaham, 19, and the Japanese Rino Yoshimoto, also 19.

In the final presentation, the Brazilian performed “Violin Concerto in D Major, op. 7”, composed by the German Brahms in 1878.

The performance was together with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Alexander Joel.

PRODIGY AT THE AGE OF 5

Sant’Anna began studying violin at the age of 5. Since the age of 8, he has attracted attention for his talent. In 2013, he was interviewed on Brazil’s prominent talk show “Programa do Jô” and told how his interest in classical music came about.

His first concert was with conductor Júlio Medaglia, and he also played with João Carlos Martins. Both musicians have always highlighted in the media that the Brazilian was a promise for Brazilian classical music.

Sant’Anna has also performed with São Paulo’s Municipal Symphony Orchestra, Johann Sebastian Rio, Camerata Sesi, from Vitória, Orquestra do Festival Virtuosi, in Pernambuco, Camerata UFMT, in Mato Grosso, and Orquestra Ulbra, in Rio Grande do Sul.

With information from G1