The prestigious Philadelphia International Music Festival awarded over $20,000 in scholarships and performance opportunities to ten young musicians who took the top spots in PIMF’s semi-annual Online Concerto Competition. Pianist Yidi Ding of Woodbury, NJ won a partial scholarship to PIMF’s intensive classical music training program this summer after winning First Prize in his division and Runner-Up to the Grand Prize. The 11-year-old has been studying piano for 6 years.

Yidi chose Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 23 in A major, K 488, “Allegro” for the competition. “I really like the melody,” he said. “The theme of the music is played quietly, and feels simple and elegant at first, but when you listen carefully, the music creates waves. The rhythm is positive (but with) a touch of melancholy, just like a tired person who has finally found a place to rest.”

Yidi is already planning his professional career, and with his success at PIMF’s Concerto Competition, he’s given it a jump-start: “I hope I can be a real musician when I grow up. I want to play my best music for the people of the world.”

The 6th grader at Acellus Academy will join Juliette Kang, First Associate Concertmaster, The Philadelphia Orchestra; Hai-Ye Ni, Principal Cello, The Philadelphia Orchestra; and six other recent winners and finalists of PIMF’s Concerto Competition at the Winners’ Concert on Sunday, March 26, 2023 at 7:00pm. It will be presented at the Valley Forge Military Academy and College in Wayne, PA with complimentary tickets available online.

Musicians in three age groups from 6 to 19 years of age submitted videos for PIMF’s  competition.

“It was quite literally an outpouring of talent to our Winter 2022 Virtual Concerto Competition from all over the world!” says PIMF President Sandy Marcucci, “Some 200 young musicians offered us their video performances, and the skill and artistic levels were simply dazzling.”

Adjudicator Marc Rovetti, Assistant Concertmaster of The Philadelphia Orchestra, agrees.

“Choosing the winners was not an easy task, and that's a great thing!” he said. “I was so pleased by how seriously everyone took this competition and enjoyed listening to young musicians at such a high level.”

Other adjudicators include John Koen, Cello, The Philadelphia Orchestra; and Yu Xi Wang, Director of Keyboard Studies at Curtis Institute of Music.

The Spring Virtual Concerto Competition is accepting entries through April 30, 2023 and is part of a host of online programs by PIMF, which will be offering both LIVE and virtual 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.