Mini Violini
Concours 2026 – Mini Violini
Meet the four young violinists of Mini Violini 2026 and discover the talented and virtuosic young prodigies.
Alongside the main competition events of the Concours musical international de Montréal, Mini Violini offers a memorable encounter with talented young violinists between the ages of 10 and 14. The concert will take place on Saturday, May 30, 2026, at 1:30 p.m., at Bourgie Hall.
A remarkable maturity in every note
Marvel at these young musicians, invited by the Concours musical international de Montréal, and applaud these outstanding violinists, whose mastery of the violin, acquired at such a young age, promises to dazzle the audience. Don’t miss this concert, which showcases their rare talent and moving musical sensitivity.
Mini Violini: The Four Seasons
The first half of the concert features each violinist in a short recital program, accompanied by pianist Claire Ouellet. In the second half, the four prodigies come together to each perform one movement of Vivaldi’s famous Four Seasons, alongside the Orchestre de l’Agora, conducted by Benoit Gauthier.
TICKETS - MINI VIOLINI
Meet the four violin prodigies
Laura Jin
Australia
Colburn Music Academy, Los Angeles
Hailing from Sydney, Australia, violinist Laura Jin began studying violin at six and a half and made her debut at the Sydney Opera House at age seven. At eight, she was admitted to the Juilliard School Pre-College Division in New York, where she studied for five years until 2024. In August 2025, Laura transferred to the Colburn Music Academy, where she studies with Professor Margaret Batjer under the generous Kohl Scholarship, endowed by Jerri and Terri Kohl.
Recognized for her musicality, poise, and expressive performances, Laura has won numerous international awards, including top prizes at the Piccolo Violino Magico Competition (2025), Zhuhai International Mozart Competition for Young Musicians (2023), International Louis Spohr Competition (2022), and Leonid Kogan International Competition (2021). In March 2024, she was invited to appear on From the Top, America’s premier national platform for young classical musicians, recording alongside Orli Shaham. That July, she attended the Morningside Music Bridge program in Boston on a full scholarship as its youngest violinist. In October 2024, she was featured in NPR’s acclaimed Tiny Desk Concert series, which has reached more than 16 million viewers since its launch in 2008. In September 2025, Laura participated in the Kronberg Music Festival masterclasses, held biennially and open to select young musicians worldwide. She was selected to perform in the festival’s final concert with orchestra, where she received the Manfred Grommek Special Prize.
Laura has performed as a soloist with the Württemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn, Salzburg Chamber Soloists, Jena Philharmonic Orchestra, and many more. Outside of music, Laura has a deep passion for the culinary arts – she loves cooking, experimenting with new recipes, and creating her own drinks. She also enjoys all forms of visual art, especially drawing, which allows her to express her creativity beyond music.
Sacha Jorba-Wu
Canada
Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia
Canadian violinist Sacha Jorba-Wu made his solo debut at age six at Olympic Plaza (Calgary) and has since performed with seven orchestras, including the Orchestre symphonique de Québec, the Orchestre symphonique de Sherbrooke, the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra and the Calgary Civic Symphony. In 2024, he made his European debut in Paris and at the Mozarteum in Salzburg during the Rising Stars Gala.
Sacha studied with Domagoj Ivanovic and James Keene, training at the Mount Royal University Conservatory and the Vancouver Academy of Music. In 2025, at age 12, he became the youngest student invited to the Curtis Institute of Music, where he studies with Shmuel Ashkenasi and Pamela Frank.
He is a laureate of major competitions, including the Canadian Music Competition (Grand Prizes, 2022, 2023), the Vancouver International Music Competition (2nd Grand Prize, 2023), the Edith Lando Gifted Youth Competition (1st prize, 2024), the New York City Music International Grand Prix (Audience Favourite Award & Grand Prix, 2024), the New York International Music Festival & Concours (1st prize, 2024), and the Andrea Postacchini International Violin Competition (1st prize, 2025). In 2024, he won the Yannick Nézet-Séguin Grand Prize at the OMNI Music Competition and soloed with Orchestre Métropolitain in 2025.
Beyond music, Sacha is passionate about humanitarian causes, and helping others by volunteering in schools, hospitals, senior centers, and communities to inspire others. In 2024, he helped raise $2 million for BC Children’s Hospital at their Gala Concert. Sacha loves learning new things, travelling, exploring, swimming, biking, playing chess with friends, math, sciences, and has an endless curiosity about the world.
Iza Kamnitzer
Canada
Conservatoire de musique de Montréal
Iza Kamnitzer has been playing the violin since age four and is a student of Andrée Azar at the Conservatoire de Musique de Montréal. Iza also benefits from inspiring coachings with Johanne Arel, director of the Camp musical des Laurentides.
Iza has participated in several competitions, including the 2025 Canadian Music Competition, where she earned first place in the strings competition for 7-10-year-olds, and the 2022 OMNI Music Competition, where she was awarded the Yannick Nézet-Séguin Grand Prize.
Her public performances include playing a series of concerts with Angèle Dubeau and La Pietà in 2023, including at the Maison Symphonique in Montréal. In 2024, she was featured in the gala concert Grande Première des futures étoiles at Place-des-Arts.
Iza also enjoys playing duets with her fellow violin student Ren Karlicek. They have performed together with the Sinfonia de l’Ouest in 2024, and with I Musici de Montréal in 2023.
When Iza isn’t holding a violin, she is almost certainly holding a book. When she isn’t holding a violin or a book, she enjoys looking at onion cells under her microscope, going wild with her sisters, and playing soccer, even if she doesn’t score many goals.
Ria Kang
United States / South Korea
Juilliard Pre-College program, New York
Ria Kang began her musical journey at the age of four. She is a student of Catherine Cho at Juilliard Pre-College, having been accepted into the program at the age of seven. Ria was a first-prize winner in her category at the 2024 Arthur Grumiaux International Violin Competition and has won first place in various other competitions, including the Camerata Artists International Competition, New York International Music Festival & Concours, New York Young Virtuoso Competition, Music International Grand Prix, and Philadelphia International Music Festival Concerto Competition.
Ria made her orchestral debut with the Seocho Philharmonia at the age of nine and has attended prestigious music programs such as Tibor Varga Academy, Sounding Point Academy, Heifetz Institute, and Philadelphia International Music Festival. Ria has performed at renowned venues, including Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and Merkin Hall, having first performed at Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall at the age of six. In 2024, she performed at the Juilliard Celebration concert at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater and as a guest artist at the Youth America Grand Prix 25th Anniversary Gala at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center.
Beyond music, Ria excels academically, earning High Honors in the 2022–2023 talent search conducted by Johns Hopkins University’s Center for Talented Youth. In her leisure time, she enjoys acting, reading, writing, drawing, listening to classical music, and playing with her Maltese, Milk.
PROGRAMME
First part – complete program comming soon
Second part
The Four Seasons by Vivaldi
•Spring (La Primavera), RV 269 – Iza Kamnitzer
•Summer (L’Estate), RV 315 – Ria Kang
•Autumn (L’Autunno), RV 293 – Laura Jin
•Winter (L’Inverno), RV 297 – Sacha Jorba-Wu
