(PHILADELPHIA, PA) -- The prestigious Philadelphia International Music Festival awarded $25,000 in scholarships and performance opportunities to twelve young musicians who took the top spots in PIMF’s semi-annual Online Concerto Competition. The Grand Prize Winner is 16-year-old cellist Chelsie Lim of Cresskill, NJ.

Lim won a full scholarship to PIMF’s intensive classical music training program this summer, a private recital in Philadelphia, and a featured performance on PIMF’s YouTube channel. She’ll also take the stage next Fall in the PIMF Winners Circle Concert with several members of The Philadelphia Orchestra.

The junior at Academy of the Holy Angels in Demarest competed with the first movement, “Allegro,” of Antonín Dvořák’s Concerto in B minor, Op. 104. 

“I'm extremely grateful to have opportunities to share my music even amidst a pandemic  and without a live audience,” Chelsie says. “Whether my playing is adjudicated or not, it brings me joy knowing that I am able to reach at least one person and inspire them in some way. COVID has really reinforced the power of music for me; it was difficult to stay motivated with my practicing as I felt a lot of apprehension about the future of classical music, but seeing how persistent this community has been and how many people were still willing to receive our music was so fulfilling.” 

Chelsie has been studying cello for 8 years and is in her 6th year at The Juilliard School Pre-College Program. She is also a participant of the Perlman Music Program, led by Toby and Itzhak Perlman.

“In over 20 years of hosting international competitions, this year’s event took on a new sense of purpose,” says PIMF President Sandy Marcucci, “With performance opportunities practically non-existent for the last year, competitions like ours were able to get these talented young musicians into the practice room. We were very impressed by the world-class submissions we received and can’t wait to see and hear the winners in person!”

Musicians in four age groups from 8 to 22 years of age submitted video recordings for the competition – part of a host of programs offered online by PIMF, which will be offering both LIVE and online training programs and summer camps beginning in June. 

The Philadelphia International Music Festival (PIMF) is a resident summer music program directed by Kimberly Fisher, Principal Second Violin of The Philadelphia Orchestra, offering student musicians from around the world the unique opportunity of spending up to four weeks immersed in music education and performance training with members of the world-renowned Philadelphia Orchestra.

Since March 2020, PIMF’s new platform PIMFOnline.org has been filling the training void for social-distancing music students with Master Classes taught by members of The Philadelphia Orchestra, including: PIMF Artistic Director Kimberly Fisher, Principal Second Violin; David Kim, Concertmaster; Hai-Ye Ni, Principal Cellist; Ricardo Morales, Principal Clarinet; Boris Allakverdyan, Principal Clarinet, Los Angeles Philharmonic; and many others. Beginning in June, 2021, PIMF will be offering summer camp programs both online - at pimfonline.org - AND live on Philadelphia’s prestigious Main Line.

Visit the Philadelphia International Music Festival YouTube Channel for performance videos from previous festival seasons.