The 2026 Elmar Oliveira International Violin Competition (EOIVC) recently came to a close. The four finalists performed with the Lynn Philharmonia and conductor Gerald Karni at the Keith C. and Elaine Johnson Wold Performing Arts Center in Boca Raton, Florida.

All competition rounds are available for playback here on The Violin Channel!

As the first prize winner, 28-year-old Hyun Jae Lim from South Korea received a $30,000 cash prize provided by the David and Amy Fulton Foundation, a new violin made by Phillip Injeian, a gold-mounted bow by Vladimir Radosavljevic, and an Alexander Plus Carbon Violin Case provided by Bogaro & Clemente. In addition, she will receive recital opportunities in New York sponsored by Tarisio Fine Instruments and Bows, in Boston provided by Carriage House Violins, and in Cremona, Italy, sponsored by Amorim Fine Violins, as well as more than 30 national and international engagements with orchestras, festivals, and concert series over the next three years. She will also receive three years of artist management and PR support.

Hyun Jae Lim also won the $1,500 award for Best Performance of the EOIVC-Commissioned Work, Wood-Sprite by Composer-In-Residence Melinda Wagner, plus the $500 award for Best Performance of an Ysaÿe Solo Sonata.

Second prize winner, 21-year-old Yiyang Hou from China, received a cash prize of a $15,000 provided by Tarisio Fine Instruments and Bows as well as a silver-mounted bow by Vladimir Radosavljevic.

Third Prize Winner, 20-year-old Sameer Agrawal from the United States, received a cash prize of $10,000 provided by Mesirow Wealth Management.

Fourth Prize winner, 21-year-old Julia Jones, also from the U.S., received a cash prize of $5,000 provided by Kenneth Warren & Son, Ltd.

All four 2026 EOIVC Finalists will receive: A NuBow provided by Rodney Mohr, a copy of The Fulton Collection: A Guided Tour by David Fulton, and a copy of The Essential Guide to Bows of the Violin Family by Gabriel Schaff.

The EOIVC 2026 jury included: Andrés Cárdenes (Chairman of the Jury), Ilya Kaler, Ida Kavafian, Irina Muresanu, Philip Setzer, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, and Kyoko Takezawa. Elizabeth Pitcairn served as an alternate judge.