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Minami Yoshida Wins Second Prize at Sibelius Violin Competition

June 9, 2025

Minami Yoshida Wins Second Prize at Sibelius Violin Competition

Minami Yoshida. Photo courtesy of the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition. 

New England Conservatory alumna Minami Yoshida ’21, ’24 MM won Second Prize at the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition in May. Yoshida, who studied at NEC with Miriam Fried, also won the award for the Best Performance of the Sibelius Violin Concerto, an honor bestowed by the late composer’s family.

Yoshida received a €20,000 cash prize for winning Second Prize and €3,000 for presenting the Best Performance of the Sibelius Violin Concerto. She’ll perform with the Helsinki Philharmonic during the 2026–2027 concert season.

Alice Lee ’26 GD, who studies at NEC with Donald Weilerstein, reached the second round of the competition. Minchae Kim ’16, ’18 MM, ’21 GD, who studied at NEC with Fried, Weilerstein, and Soovin Kim, Jaewon Wee ’23 GD, who studied at NEC with Weilerstein, Esther Yang ’22, who studied at NEC with Kim and Paul Biss, and Yebin Yoo ’22 ’24 MM, who studied at NEC with Fried, performed in the first round of the competition.

Read more about this year’s International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition and join us in congratulating all of these outstanding musicians.

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