SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL VIOLIN COMPETITION 2026: GRAND FINALS / Review

 

SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL 

VIOLIN COMPETITION 2026

GRAND FINALS

Esplanade Concert Hall

Saturday (7 February 2026)

This review was published by The Straits Times on 10 February 2026 with the title "Ukraine's Georgii Moroz wins Singapore International Violin Competition 2026".

The Grand Finals of the Singapore International Violin Competition (SIVC) 2026 was a culmination of two weeks of intense violin virtuosity. Arguably the best final concert in four editions, three 20th century violin concertos were performed in partnership with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Joshua Tan.

Organised by Yong Siew Toh Conservatory and judged by an international panel of ten violin pedagogues and performing artists, it was fortuitous that two of three grand finalists were either past or present students of the Conservatory. One can only conclude that good teaching here is a catalyst for great artistry and superior results.

Zou Meng (China), presently residing here, performed Finnish composer Jean Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D minor (Op.47, from 1904-05), literally a re-run of his triumph at the 2023 National Piano & Violin Competition. If anything, he has progressed. 

Sculpting a robust and gritty tone for this granite-hard score, intonation was never an issue. A wider palette of colours enabled him to generate warmth in the central slow movement and later focus with laser-intensity in the thrilling and rhythmic finale.

Georgii Moroz (Ukraine), who graduated here in 2023 and now based in Berlin, upped the ante several notches for Bela Bartok’s Violin Concerto No.2 (1937-38). Influenced by Hungarian folk music, Moroz had the full measure of its lusty and gutteral voice. Also completely natural with its dissonant idiom, he mastered and overcame the accompaniment’s thorny textures with aplomb.

Photo: Jellal Koay

In the slow movement’s theme and variations, Moroz conjured a sense of fantasy and mystery despite its elusiveness. Nothing was ever routine, and in the rambunctious finale, he raced away with orchestra in tandem and never glanced back.

Michael Germer (Denmark) looked to dominate in Dmitri Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No.1 (Op.99, 1947-48), now a staple of competitions worldwide but like the Bartok, heard for the first time here. Its very wide dynamic range suited Germer to a tee, brooding in bitterness for the opening Nocturne, and then furiously duelling with the winds in the Scherzo.

Photo: Jellal Koay

The third movement’s Passacaglia was a tour de force of building an arch-like edifice before climaxing in a cruelly-taxing cadenza. The Klezmer-influenced finale was a wild race to the edge of a precipice, with neither soloist nor orchestra yielding a step till its brilliant and breathless close. Cue an outburst of applause.

Fine margins separated Moroz and Germer, who were awarded first and second respectively, a fair decision, with Zou bagging third place. Fourth, fifth and sixth places were awarded to Karisa Chiu (USA), SongHa Choi (South Korea) and Qingshu Weng (China). The special prizes, for performances of J.S.Bach, Eugene Ysaye, chamber music, violin and piano recital and the commissioned set piece, David Loke’s Soliloquy, were shared by the top three.

Michael Germer and Georgii Moroz
find out their fates.

This might have been the most impressive finale in the competition’s short 12-year history but a question hangs over the SIVC’s future. Will it survive in this form? Only time will tell.

THE GRAND FINALISTS OF SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL VIOLIN COMPETITION 2026 HAVE BEEN NAMED!

The Grand Finalists of Singapore International Violin Competition 2026 have been named. 

They are ZOU MENG (China), GEORGII MOROZ (Ukraine) and MICHAEL GERMER (Denmark). They will perform a concerto each with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra conducted by Joshua Tan in the Grand Final on Saturday 7 February 2026 at Esplanade Concert Hall. 

Note that the time of the concert is 5 pm, and not later!

The programme as follows:

Three 20th century violin concertos

for the first time ever!

ZOU MENG performs

SIBELIUS Violin Concerto in D minor (Op.47)

GEORGII MOROZ performs

BARTOK Violin Concerto No.2 in B minor

MICHAEL GERMER performs

SHOSTAKOVICH 

Violin Concerto No.1 in A minor (Op.99)

Here to get your tickets:

Singapore International Violin Competition: Grand Finals

Just $20, better than a steal!

FINALS OF SINGAPORE INTERNATIONAL VIOLIN COMPETITION 2026 HAS BEGUN!

The Finals of the Singapore International Violin Competition 2026 has begun, with the completion of the first evening. In two concerts, the six finalists become first violinists of a string quartet to perform either of two quartets from Joseph Haydn's Op.77 set. Working with three members of the world-renowned Shanghai Quartet (violinist Angelo Xiang Yu, violist Honggang Li and cellist Sihao He), each performs as the leader of the quartet, an underrated skill demanded of all great violinists who are also great musicians. 

In a way, this is a subtle and astute test of musical leadership and interpretation that is quite different from the outwardly virtuosic person of a soloist in a concerto performance. 

This evening, the performances of both Haydn string quartets were a total delight. These two quartets, composed in 1802, represent his most mature works and final utterances in this medium which he popularised. The first violinist's role is a virtuoso one, not just having to play the melodic lines, master the most difficult passages, but also to keep the ensemble together. In this respect, all the three finalists this evening shone, their outings showed that live performances best any recording to be had. I am certain that the small audience, not exceeding 50 people at the most in Victoria Concert Hall were truly enthralled.

A small audience attended the concert,
with the jury sitting in the circle seats.

SongHa Choi (South Korea) was the leader
in Haydn's Quartet in G major, Op.77 No.1

Zou Meng (China) was the local favourite,
presently a student at the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory.
He led in the Quartet in F major, Op.77 No.2

Georgii Moroz (Ukraine) is a Yong Siew Toh alumnus.
He starred in the evening's second performance of
Haydn's Quartet in F major, Op.77 No.2

Thursday (5 February), the second session of the Finals features Michael Germer (Denmark), Karisa Chiu (USA) and Qingshu Weng (China). All three will perform Haydn's Quartet in G major, Op.77 No.1 with members of the Shanghai Quartet.

Tickets are available here:

Singapore International Violin Competition: Finals