“The 2020 Menuhin Competition, billed as the world’s leading international competition for young violinists, will be held in Richmond on May 14-24, 2020,” reports Bill Lohman in Sunday’s (4/22) Richmond Times-Dispatch (VA). “London and Melbourne, Australia, were reportedly also in the running for the every-other-year event that has been nicknamed ‘the Olympics of the violin.’ The announcement was made Sunday during the closing gala concert of this year’s competition in Geneva…. A local delegation led by Mayor Levar Stoney joined competition organizers in Geneva for the announcement of Richmond’s winning bid…. Since 1998, it has been held biennially in different cities [including] London, Beijing and Oslo…. Richmond’s joint bid was submitted by a coalition headed by the Richmond Symphony with co-hosts Commonwealth Public Broadcasting (WCVE), Virginia Commonwealth University and the University of Richmond…. The Richmond Symphony will be the primary accompanying orchestra for the festival, but the Sphinx Virtuosi ensemble—18 of the top young black and Latino classical musicians—will also participate…. Commonwealth Public Broadcasting is expected to stream the competition worldwide.” Said Ronald Crutcher, president of the University of Richmond and Richmond Symphony board member as well as a cellist, “It’s a big, big deal.”
Posted April 27, 2018
In photo: University of Richmond president Ronald Crutcher at Sunday’s announcement that Richmond will be host city for the 2020 Menuhin Competition. Photo by Shelby Lum
