Participant
Wei-Lin Chen
Violin
Accepted to the preliminary round of the 2026 Naumburg International Violin Competition.
Biography supplied for the 2026 competition.
"Extremely talented, with a strong intuitive musicality, the performance is filled with intricate details and variations. The skillful technique is seamlessly integrated into the music, leaving a lasting impression." - Chi-Mei Art Award.
In 2024 and 2025, Wei-Lin won the 36th and 37th Chi-Mei Arts Awards for Taiwan's Most Promising Young Artists. Other honors include the first prize in the Taiwan National Student Music Competition in 2020, second prize in the 7th Japan Violin Competition in 2023, third prize in the 7th Ysaÿe International Music Competition in 2025, and the First Prize in the 4th Grand Prix Paderewski International Competition for Polish music in 2026
Wei-Lin has performed as a soloist at major concert halls, including the Taiwan National Concert Hall and Weiwuying National Kaohsiung Center Concert Hall. Recently, he collaborated with Benny Yu-Chien Tseng, Jonathan Brown, Tatijana Masurenko, Clive Greensmith, and Marc Coppey. He has also participated in the Masterclasses of Leonidas Kavakos, Antje Weithaas, Boris Garlitsky, Ilya Kaler, and Kyoko Takezawa.
Born in Taiwan, Wei-Lin began violin lessons at the age of nine. After completing his Bachelor's degree at the Colburn Conservatory under Martin Beaver, he is currently pursuing his Master's degree at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater München under Kirill Troussov. He plays the violin with a generous loan from the Chi-Mei Museum in Taiwan.
Pianists
2026 International Violin Competition
Kyoung Im Kim
, piano
Kyoung Im Kim is a Seoul-born pianist whose collaborative work encompasses instrumental and vocal music. A first-prize winner of the Artur Balsam competition, she has performed in Europe, Asia, and the United States and received awards in solo competitions in Korea. Her festival work includes the Heifetz International Music Institute, Summit Music Festival, Southampton Arts Festival, Amati Music Festival, and Icicle Creek Chamber Music Festival, as well as the Latin American Violin Academy in Venezuela.
Kim studied with Heasook Rhee at Manhattan School of Music, completing a master’s degree, Professional Studies training, and a Doctor of Musical Arts with merit-scholarship support. She served as Aaron Rosand’s official pianist at the Curtis Institute of Music, and her professional experience includes staff-pianist work at Juilliard, Manhattan School of Music, and Mannes. She has participated in masterclasses with Robert McDonald, Lambert Orkis, and Martin Katz, and played for classes led by artists including Pamela Frank, Leonidas Kavakos, Marilyn Horne, and Thomas Hampson.