(WAYNE, PA) -- Tenafly NJ violinist Ria Kang took top honors in the Under-13 Age Division with a precociously polished performance at the Philadelphia International Music Festival Concerto Competition this summer at historic Valley Forge Military Academy & College in Wayne, Pennsylvania. 

The 6-year-old dazzled the judges and demonstrated skill and technique well beyond her years on the first movement, “Allegro,” of J.S. Bach’s Violin Concerto in A minor, BMW 1041. The incoming second-grader at Walter Stillman Elementary School is continuing her study of the work.

“I’m working on the same piece still, but now it’s the third movement,” Ria explained weeks after winning first place at the prestigious festival. “The second movement makes me feel happy when I play it, and also a little bit sad at times because it has these melodic parts that do that. I like the slow parts because I can sort of feel the music more.”

With the win, Ria earned a substantial scholarship to PIMF’s 14-day Violin Intensive next summer and a featured performance on PIMF’s YouTube channel (shown above). She’ll also take the stage in the annual PIMF Winners Circle Concert with members of The Philadelphia Orchestra.

The adjudication panel for PIMF’s July Concerto Competition consisted of: Kimberly Fisher, Principal Second Violin of The Philadelphia Orchestra and Artistic Director of the Philadelphia International Music Festival; Priscilla Lee, Associate Principal Cello of The Philadelphia Orchestra; and Grammy-nominated pianist Dr. Mark Livshits.

A host of principal players and other members of The Philadelphia Orchestra make up the faculty at PIMF’s summer program and were a big draw for the young violinist as well as for students who flock to it from all over the world. Ria was one of the youngest musicians ever to attend the program.  

“I don’t use the word ‘prodigy’ often. Every young musician that has attended PIMF over the past 25 years has demonstrated a prodigious work ethic and dedication,” said PIMF president Sandy Marcucci. “But it is certainly rare to see the skill level Ria already demonstrates at such a tender age - as well as her joy in sharing it!”

Ria’s mother, Nicole Kim, said that after spending almost half of the two-and-a-half years she’s been studying violin playing to a screen - her daughter relished the camp’s ample performance opportunities. “She started violin right before the pandemic hit,” Ms. Kim related, “and she did a couple of months in person but during the pandemic she had only online lessons for a year. She resumed in-person lessons in June last year. It was hard.”

Her mom has already suggested that perhaps Ria could double major in college, but Ria is firm about her intention to be a full-time musician: “I’m never going to stop!” she said – already setting her sights on Juillard or Curtis.

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.

PIMF faculty included this year the following members of The Philadelphia Orchestra (amongst a host of others): David Kim, Concertmaster; Marc Rovetti, Assistant Concertmaster; Kimberly Fisher, Principal Second Violin; Hai-Ye Ni, Principal Cellist; Priscilla Lee, Associate Principal Cello; Nathaniel West, Acting Assistant Principal Bass; Patrick Williams, Associate Principal Flute; Ricardo Morales, Principal Clarinet; Mark Gigliotti, Co-Principal Bassoon; Jeffrey Lang, Associate Principal Horn; Matthew Vaughn, Co-Principal Trombone; and Angela Zator Nelson, Associate Principal Timpani.  Boris Allakhverdyan, Principal Clarinet of the Los Angeles Philharmonic is also on faculty each summer.