In Thursday’s (5/13) Boston Globe, Robert Knox writes, “Violinist Xiang Yu, a key player for the Atlantic Symphony Orchestra in Hingham [Mass.], endured a travel odyssey last month on his way to Oslo for one of violin’s most prestigious competitions. But just when the Icelandic volcanic ash cloud that snarled European air traffic seemed destined to spoil his chances, the skies cleared just enough for Yu to squeeze into the competition. From there he breezed to one of classical music’s great global honors, winner of the 2010 Yehudi Menuhin Competition for Young Violinists. … The Atlantic Symphony Orchestra was thrilled Yu was bringing home the prize, said trustee Roy Harris. Audiences have felt ‘a sense of command’ from the first-violin chair when Yu performed there for the Atlantic, he said. Yu serves as the regional orchestra’s assistant concertmaster—an unusual achievement for a 21-year-old undergraduate—and led the orchestra’s violins in concerts at Duxbury’s Performing Arts Center and Boston’s Jordan Hall. … Besides winning the Menuhin competition, he also won the Audience Favorite award and the Bach Prize for his performance of Bach’s Violin Sonata No. 2.”
Posted May 13, 2010
