Dmytro Udovychenko – from a victory in Montréal to the world’s greatest stages

The Concours musical international de Montréal plays a decisive role in launching the musical careers of its laureates. International recognition, memorable encounters… a victory in Montréal opens doors and helps musicians gain wider exposure. 

When we first met the young Ukrainian violinist Dmytro Udovychenko, he was already a talent to watch, having won prizes at competitions in Singapore and Helsinki. Accepted into the Concours just a few months after the war in Ukraine began, the Concours team helped him navigate a fast-track visa process. 

“My time in Montréal helped give my career a boost,” says the violinist, ​“Travelling to North America for the first time was a wonderful adventure, which provided me with a wealth of experience.” 

Throughout the various rounds of the Concours, his technical mastery and rare artistic intensity resulted in captivating performances. His interpretation of Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 during the Final, with Rafael Payare conducting the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, was an unforgettable moment. 

Dmytro returned to Montréal last summer, delighted to be reunited with Maestro Payare and the OSM: ​“Winning such a major competition was, of course, a huge step in my career. And returning to Montréal felt like meeting an old friend,” he says, a telling testament to the strength of the bonds that can be forged during the Concours. 

Since his resounding victory in Montréal, Dmytro has been sharing his artistry with audiences around the world. Over the past season, he has performed Shostakovich’s Violin Concerto No. 1 with the Orchestre national de France and the Orchestra del Teatro Comunale di Bologna, and made his debut at Carnegie Hall with the Kronberg Academy Soloists. 

The 2026 – 2027 season promises to be just as busy and exciting: highlights include his debut with the BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican Centre in London and a return to the United States for a tour. 

Finally, the violinist invites us to let ourselves be moved by the beauty of music, to experience the emotion of the moment: ​“Every concert that I play, I always believe there are at least a few people who will be touched by the performance, who might receive something from the music. I think that’s the role of music: to show the beauty of this world, which we might otherwise miss.”