2017 Cooper Competition Field Reduced to Final 3 Violinists

July 20, 2017

By Erich Burnett

three finalists
2017 Cooper Competition Concerto finalists (from left) Christina Jihee Nam, Johan Dalene, and Qing Yu Chen.
Photo credit: Roger Mastroianni
Each will perform Friday, July 21, with The Cleveland Orchestra at Severance Hall with a $20,000 grand prize on the line.

After five days of thrilling competition on the campus of Oberlin Conservatory, the stage is set for the climactic Concerto Finals of the 2017 Cooper Internationational Competition for Violin. The following three violinists will square off Friday, July 21, at Severance Hall. Each will perform complete concertos with The Cleveland Orchestra:

Christina Jihee Nam, 14, of West Chester, Ohio, will perform Tchaikovsky's Concerto in D Major, Op. 35.

Qing Yu Chen, 17, of New York, New York, will perform Prokofiev's Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 63.

Johan Dalene, 16, of Norrköping, Sweden, will perform Tchaikovsky's Concerto in D Major, Op. 35.

The Concerto Finalists were revealed after jury deliberations following Wednesday's Recital Finals at Oberlin. Kiarra Saito-Beckman, Maya Anjali Buchanan, and Zachary Brandon finished sixth through fourth, respectively, and each earned a $1,500 prize.

Nam, Dalene, and Chen (pictured, from left) will vie for prizes of $20,000, $10,000, and $5,000, respectively. Also on Wednesday, Dalene was named the winner of the Audience Favorite Prize of $500. The Cooper Competition's total purse is among the largest of any competition of its kind.

The Concerto Finals begin at 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 21, at Cleveland's Severance Hall. Tickets are $15 and $25, with free tickets available for students under 18 accompanied by a paying adult. Learn more at the Cleveland Orchestra website or call the box office at 216-231-1111

The program will be broadcast live by WCLV 104.9 FM ideastream, Cleveland's classical music station.

On Thursday, July 20, Oberlin will host an Honors Concert featuring outstanding Semifinalist performances from throughout the week. The free program begins at 7 p.m. in Warner Concert Hall.

Follow the Cooper Competition on Facebook for photos, behind-the-scenes action, and up-to-date information.