Jury of the 15th International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Making Competition
- Frank Ravatin – Chairman
- Krzysztof Krupa
- Antoine Nedelec
- Ji Hwan Park
- Agata Szymczewska
- Noémie Viaud
- Soyoung Yoon
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Frank Ravatin – Chairman
Frank Ravatin, born in 1962 in Lyon, France, is a distinguished luthier with a remarkable career spanning decades. From 1981 to 1985, he studied at the Cremona school under the guidance of Maestro Giorgio Scolari. He then worked from 1985 to 1991 in the workshop of Jacques Camurat in Paris before establishing his own workshop in Le Mans.
Ravatin has made numerous notable achievements in international competitions. In 1994, he was awarded a silver medal for a cello at the STRAD competition in Manchester and won gold medals for viola and cello at the VSA competition in San Francisco. His success continued in 1996 with a gold medal for cello at the STRAD competition in Manchester, along with a silver for violin and golds for viola, cello and quartet at the VSA competition in Albuquerque. By 1998 he secured additional accolades, including golds for violin, cello and quartet and a silver for viola at the VSA competition in Salt Lake City.
His exemplary work has led to his recognition as Hors Concours by the Violin Society of America. Ravatin's expertise has also been acknowledged through numerous awards in various competitions in cities such as Paris and Mirecourt. His reputation extends globally, with his having served as a judge in major competitions such as the VSA (three times), Paris, Beijing, Cremona, Manchester, and Mittenwald (twice).
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Krzysztof Krupa
Krzysztof Krupa was born in 1979 in Poznań. He began learning the art of violin making at an early age in his father Antoni’s workshop while simultaneously studying the violin. He pursued his education in this field at the Music High School in Poznań and later at the I.J. Paderewski Academy of Music, which he graduated from with honors in 2003. He further honed his skills by participating in international violin-making workshops in Oberlin, USA.
After completing his studies, he established his violin-making practice in Poznań. Together with his father, Antoni, and his brother, Marcin, he runs a workshop where he crafts violins, violas, cellos, and historical instruments. He is also involved in instrument restoration and adjustment. Since 2003, he has been teaching violin making at the Poznań General Secondary Music School, and since 2024, he has also been a lecturer at the I.J. Paderewski Academy of Music.
He is an active member of the violin-making community. Since 1999, he has been a member of the Polish Union of Artist Violin Makers, where he previously served on the qualification committee and is currently a board member. Since 2006, he has also been a member of the Violin Society of America.
Krzysztof Krupa is a laureate of numerous prestigious international violin-making competitions. His most significant achievements include: Gold medal for a cello in Moscow (2007), Gold medal for a cello and two bronze medals for a violin and viola at the "Eufonia" competition in Sofia/Brussels (2009), Silver medal for a cello in Cremona (2012), Gold medal for a violin in Náchod (2012), Gold medal for a viola in Beijing (2013), Bronze medal for a viola in Cremona (2015), Silver medal for a violin in Beijing (2016), Silver medal for a violin in Poznań (2016), Gold medal for a cello in Beijing (2019), two silver medals and two honorable mentions for a quartet in Anaheim (2022).
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Antoine Nedelec
A graduate of the Violin Making School of America, Antoine Nedelec honed his craft while working at Peter Prier and Sons during his studies and later at J & A Beare after graduating in 2002. He opened his own studio in 2005 and became a member of the American Federation of Violin and Bow Makers in 2012.
Antoine is a dedicated educator, regularly serving on the faculty of the Oberlin Violin Makers Workshop. In 2016 and 2017, he and his colleague Jeff Phillips led the workshop on copying the "Jackson" Stradivarius.
He has received numerous awards at the Violin Society of America competitions, including a silver medal for cello and a gold medal for viola. In 2018, he was invited to serve as a judge at the VSA competition.
Currently, Antoine is the director of the Chicago School of Violin Making, Inc., where he continues to inspire the next generation of violin makers.
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Ji Hwan Park
Born in 1982 in Daejeon, South Korea, Ji Hwan Park began his career in violin making in 2005 at the International Stradivari Violin Making School in Cremona. For five years, he studied under Maestro Liutaio Massimo Negroni, refining his craftsmanship. After acquiring his diploma, he further deepened his expertise in violin making and gained a solid foundation in instrument repair under the guidance of Sung Hyun Park and Michele Dobner. In 2015, he opened his own workshop in Cremona, Italy.
A laureate of the most prestigious international violin-making competitions, including a gold and silver medal for violin at the Wieniawski Competition in Poznań (2016), a silver medal for viola at the Mittenwald Competition (2018), and a bronze medal for violin and a silver medal for cello at the Triennale in Cremona (2018).
Today, his instruments are played by professional musicians, amateurs, and music students around the world.
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Agata Szymczewska
Agata Szymczewska, winner of the 13th International Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition, graduated from the Academy of Music in Poznań and the Hochschule für Musik und Theater in Hannover. She refined her skills under artists such as Wanda Wiłkomirska, Kaja Danczowska, Konstanty Andrzej Kulka, Anne-Sophie Mutter, and Maxim Vengerov.
Her victory in the Wieniawski Competition opened doors to major concert halls worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, Musikverein, and Concertgebouw, where she performed under the baton of conductors such as Seiji Ozawa, Sir Neville Marriner, Riccardo Muti, Krzysztof Penderecki, and Maxim Vengerov.
She has recorded 19 albums for labels such as Deutsche Grammophon, Decca, Sony, and Hyperion. Her recordings have earned numerous awards, including OPUS KLASSIK, Diapason d’Or, and four Fryderyk Awards. She has also received the Paszport Polityki Award (2006), London Music Masters (2009) and the Coryphaeus of Polish Music Award (2022).
Szymczewska is a professor at the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music and the State Music School Complex No. 1 in Warsaw, and she conducts masterclasses in Poland and abroad. Since 2014, she has been the first violinist of the Karol Szymanowski Quartet, and since June 2023, the Chair of the Wieniawski Society in Poznań.
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Noémie Viaud
Noémie Viaud is an award winning luthier based in Copenhagen, Denmark. She has been passionately making violins, violas and cellos for the past 26 years. The search for a personal and ideal sound, warm, powerful, full of overtones, precise in its projection, balanced and inspirational, is an endless fascination for her. Her instruments are regularly winning prizes at international competitions and can be found in the hands of many great respected musicians.
Noémie grew up with a love for music and discovered violin making when she began playing the violin at the age of 7. From that very moment, she knew that she had found her vocation. At the age of 14, she was admitted into the French violin-making school in Mirecourt, where she spent five years learning the art of making and restoration. After receiving her diploma, Noémie worked for Olivier Perot (Montréal, Canada), The Sound Post (Toronto, Canada), Urs Wenk Wolff (Oslo, Norway) and Jens Stenz, (Aarhus, Denmark). She became self-employed in 2014.
Noémie loves to exchange ideas and knowledge with colleagues and takes part in different violin making workshops, exhibitions and conferences throughout the year.
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Soyoung Yoon
A prizewinner of major violin competitions, she has excelled at events such as the Indianapolis, Queen Elisabeth, Tchaikovsky, Menuhin, Wieniawski, Oistrakh, and Tibor Varga competitions, most recently winning the Tokyo Classic Violin Competition 2024. Soyoung Yoon, renowned for her disciplined artistry, has received high praise from critics, with Gramophone calling her performances "meticulous" and The Guardian describing them as "suave."
She has collaborated with esteemed conductors and musicians such as Krzysztof Penderecki, Ivor Bolton, Maxim Vengerov, and Eiji Oue, Sascha Goetzel, Yi-Chen Lin and Michal Nesterowicz showcasing her musical prowess. Her international career continues to flourish, performing with world's top orchestras. Soyoung frequently performs with the Korean Chamber Orchestra and tours Asia, Europe, and North America. Her chamber music appearances span prestigious venues like London’s Wigmore Hall, Madrid’s Auditorio Nacional, and Zurich’s Tonhalle. Soyoung’s role extends beyond the spotlight; she has lent her expertise as a judge in esteemed competitions like the Menuhin in Richmond, Princess Ann in Trondheim, and Prague Spring. She’s embracing new activities by starting to add ‘Play and Conduct’, showing her adaptability and leadership in this new venture to further exemplify her divers qualities as a musician.
Based between Barcelona and Seoul, she trained at South Korea’s National University of the Arts, the Cologne University of Music and Dance under Zakhar Bron, and the Zurich University of the Arts. Playing a 1773 J. B. Guadagnini violin (ex-Bückeburg), she continues to captivate audiences worldwide.
