HÀ NỘI – Vietnamese violinist Trần Lê Quang Tiến has been awarded Diploma Special Prize for Best Interpretation of a Contemporary Work at the X International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musician in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Tiến performed Bài Ca Chim Ưng (A Song of Falcon) by composer Đàm Linh. He was among 120 final contestants for violin, piano and cello.

“Competing at international competitions is a worthwhile experiment for me,” Tiến said. “I want to play music at international stages because new spaces always inspire me."

Tiến is the second Vietnamese representative to compete at the Tchaikovsky competition, after his teacher -- violinist Bùi Công Duy -- won first prize at the competition in 1997.

Last year, Tiến won first prize in the junior group of the 6th International Violin Competition held in Astana, Kazakhstan.

Under the guidance of his teacher Duy, Tiến won first prize at the Mozart Violin Competition held in Thailand in 2014.

National pride: Trần Lê Quang Tiến received the prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musician in Kazakhstan. Photos vov.vn

Born in 2002, Tiến is considered a music prodigy. After only two years of playing violin, his teacher noted that he could play as well as a graduate student at the academy.

Tiến learned piano at the age of five and turned to violin at age six . However, he then quit violin to concentrate on painting and dancing before resuming the instrument at the age of nine.

The anniversary X International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians was held from June 15 to 25.

The competition is organised by the Ministry of Culture and Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Association of Tchaikovsky Competition Stars.

The jurors were professors from countries around the globe and world-famous musicians, including Vietnamese violinist Bùi Công Duy.

The first prize went to South Korean Nakyung-kang and Japanese Eugene Kawai.

The International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians is the largest independent professional contest among young talents (up to 17 years old). The competition consists of three sections: piano, violin and cello.

It was launched in 1992 by the initiative of the Association of Tchaikovsky Competition Stars.

The original formula of the competition is that it is held in different countries, which gives young musicians worldwide a unique opportunity to participate in the contest. — VNS