March 21--The two talented young string musicians representing Illinois didn't make it to the final round at an international competition in Washington D.C. this weekend.
Sofiya Kyrylyuk, a 15-year-old violist from northwest suburban Huntley, and Lucie Ticho, 17-year-old cellist from west suburban Hinsdale, were chosen as semifinalists for the Johansen International Competition in Washington, D.C., an elite competition held every three years for young string musicians. Of the 30 semifinalists, only 15 were from the United States.
Sofiya is the principal violist for the Midwest Young Artists symphony orchestra, based in north suburban Highwood. Lucie plays cello for the Chicago Symphony Youth Orchestra.
Neither of the two Illinois teens advanced as finalists at the Johansen competition.
"Sadly, neither Lucie nor I advanced to the finals," Sofiya said in a text message Friday night. "Everyone there was so amazing! It was very difficult to compete."
The finalists perform on Saturday and the winners will be announced after that. The first place winner will receive $10,000. Second and third place are awarded $7,000 and $5,000 respectively.
There's also a $1,000 prize for the best performance of a commissioned work.
In a previous interview, Sofiya said winning the money would be nice, but she was most looking forward to the experience of being around other talented musicians, learning new techniques and making new friends.
"I think it's going to be a mutual exchange of practices and techniques, and it will further the goals of my career," Sofiya said last week.
Sofiya began playing violin when she was 5 years old. Her mother, Tetyana Torzhevska, was formerly a professional opera singer and now teaches voice and piano lessons from their home in Huntley. The two immigrated from Ukraine in 2003 when Sofiya was 4 years old.
She began playing viola a few years and switched her focus to it as her primary instrument just this year, Sofiya said in a recent interview. Making it as a Johansen semifinalist is "a big step forward."
"Even if you don't get any further, it's already a big thing," her mother said last week.
