Wheelchair-bound Violinist Lim Hyeonjae Wins Top Prize at U.S. EOIVC
Creatrip Team
7 months ago
Violinist Lim Hyeonjae (28) won first place at the 4th Elma Oliveira International Violin Competition (EOIVC) in Boca Raton, Florida. Playing the Sibelius Violin Concerto, Lim earned $30,000, management support and over 30 U.S. performance opportunities over three years. EOIVC, founded in 2017 by Tchaikovsky Competition winner Elma Oliveira, is held every three years for players aged 18–30. Lim also took two special prizes: best performance of a commissioned work, “Wood Sprite” by Melinda Wagner (prize $1,500), and best performance of Eugène Ysaÿe’s solo violin sonata (prize $500), making her a triple winner. Lim began violin at seven, studied at the Curtis Institute (a prestigious U.S. music school), and returned to Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic. After a serious 2020 traffic accident she became wheelchair-bound; following intense rehabilitation she resumed performing in June 2024 and won the 20th Seoul International Music Competition in December. She is currently pursuing a master’s degree at Curtis.
