We're coming to you LIVE from Oberlin, Ohio, for the 2025 Thomas and Evon Cooper International Competition. Founded in 2010, the competition alternates annually between violin and piano disciplines.

In 2025, the violin jury will comprise Sibbi Bernhardsson (Chair), Catherine Cho, Francesca dePasquale, Peter Herresthal, Xie Nan, and William van der Sloot.

Open to young musicians aged between 13 and 18, a total of $40,000 is available in prize money, with the First Prize carrying a value of $20,000.

Past violin winners of the Cooper competition include Seohyun Kim, Eric Charles Chen, VC Young Artist Johan Dalene, Gallia Kastner, and Belle Ting.

 

Competition Schedule:

FIRST ROUND: For this round, participants perform 30-minute programs in Warner Concert Hall.

Monday, January 6 | Round 1 Day 1 Session 1 | 2:30 - 5:00 PM (ET)

  • Min Seul Lee
  • Daniel Qi
  • Gayun Kim
  • Emily Chen
  • Lauren Yoon
  • Julia-Xiaozhuo Wang

Monday, January 6 | Round 1 Day 1 Session 2 | 7:30 - 9:30 PM (ET)

  • Athanasios Kyparos
  • Hyun-seo Kim
  • Qingyuan Yang
  • Sooeon Kim

 

Tuesday, January 7 | Round 1 Day 2 Session 1 | 2:30 - 5:00 PM (ET)

  • Rosie Chang
  • Neal Eisfeldt
  • Madeline Goh
  • Emrik Revermann
  • Ma Panxi
  • Tiantian Lu

Tuesday, January 7 | Round 1 Day 2 Session 2 | 7:30 - 9:30 PM (ET)

  • Edna Unseld
  • Roa Lee
  • Jinan Laurentia Woo

SEMI FINAL: For this round, six semi-finalists perform 45-minute recital programs in Warner Concert Hall.

Wednesday, January 8 | Round 2 Session 1 | 3:30 - 6:00 PM (ET)

  • Lauren Yoon
  • Julia Xiaozhuo Wang
  • Emrik Revermann
  • Tiantian Lu

Wednesday, January 8 | Round 2 Session 2 | 8:00 - 10:30 PM (ET)

  • Edna Unseld
  • Jinan Laurentia Woo


FINAL ROUND: Three finalists perform complete concertos with the ProMusica Chamber Orchestra and conductor Norman Huynh

Friday, January 10 | Final Round | 7:30 PM (ET)