The Primrose International Viola Competition announced that Elias Goldstein, who will be performing in the Midsummer’s Music Festival in Door County, Wisconsin this season, is the runner-up in the intensive competition held in Albuquerque, New Mexico this past weekend.

 

“We couldn’t be more thrilled for Elias, or for his teacher, Sally Chisholm, who is also a member of Midsummer’s Music. This is a tremendous honor for both of them and something all of us celebrate,” said Jim Berkenstock, Artistic Director of Midsummer’s Music.

Founded in 1979, the Primrose International Viola Competition has established itself as one of the premiere instrumental competitions in the world. Over the last three decades The Primrose Competition has established an impeccable track record for identifying the talent of tomorrow and is respected for its integrity. Past-winners are currently engaged in the highest levels of professional artistic careers.

This year, the Primrose competition presented 29 quarter-finalists from 13 countries. The field was then narrowed to eight semi-finalists and ultimately three finalists. The rounds and scoring were open to the public and broadcast live over the internet to 12,000 visitors from 62 countries on six continents.

Mr. Goldstein, who won $3,000 and a silver-mounted Arcos Brasil bow, is a Collins Fellow at University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he just completed his doctoral degree under the guidance of his professor, Sally Chisholm. “I remember the first lesson he had with me and how impressed I was with his playing,” said Ms. Chisholm when reached shortly after the competition results were announced. “I told him at that time I thought he was capable of winning the Primrose Competition some day. He is such a huge talent and a real gentleman. I greatly admire him and the way he conducts himself, both as a musician and as a person,” she continued. Another student of Ms. Chisholm, Vicki Powell was the third prize winner in the Primrose this year. Mr. Goldstein also was accorded the Director’s Award in the competition.

Dr. Goldstein is joining the string faculty this coming fall as professor of viola at Ball State University. He has appeared as a soloist with the DePaul Symphony Orchestra, where he won the annual concerto competition twice, and has performed as guest concertmaster with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. He is the first prize winner of the Leonard Sorkin Memorial Violin Competition and is the former Wisconsin State Fiddle Champion. He was a winner of the Neale-Silva Young Artist Competition, and has since made solo recital appearances on Wisconsin Public Radio. He has played with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra in Norway and with members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He is a founding member and principal violist of the Advent Chamber Orchestra. He has also been a regular member of the Grant Park Symphony Orchestra in Chicago.

Mr. Goldstein will be performing with Midsummer’s Music Festival in Door County, Wisconsin, in two different programs. The first program, “Summer Evening Magic,” features concerts on June 28 at the Woodwalk Gallery, June 30 at the Fish Creek Town Hall, and July 5 on Rock Island. The second program, “Sonic Extravagance,” will be presented on July 14 at the Janning Residence in Sturgeon Bay, July 15 at Maronek’s Silver Poplar Studios in Ellison Bay, July 16 at the Dresselhuys “The Tree House” in Fish Creek, and July 17 at the Woodwalk Gallery in Egg Harbor.

Tickets are available at 920-854-7088 or online at MidsummersMusic.com. Reservations for some concerts are required.