La Canada HS Senior Wins Prestigious Classical Music Competition

La Canada cellist Srijani Bhattacharya took top honors in the Philadelphia International Music Festival Concerto Competition this summer at historic Valley Forge Military Academy & College in Wayne, Pennsylvania.

The 17-year-old impressed the judges with a towering rendition of the first movement, “Allegro,” of Antonin Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B minor, Op. 104, B. 191. Srijani agrees with musicians who call the work “the king of all cello concerti.”

“It shows off everything that a cellist wants to play,” she explained, “Beautiful sostenuto phrases, fun virtuosic passages - which are not as fun to practice! - a strong emotional climax, the list goes on and on. It is very fulfilling to play. I hope people can feel the vulnerability that I have when I put so much of myself on stage through this piece.”

Srijani won the 16–19 Year Old Division at PIMF in addition to the Grand Prize, which includes a substantial scholarship to PIMF’s 2023 Cello Intensive. She will also be invited to take the stage in the annual PIMF Winners Circle Concert with members of The Philadelphia Orchestra in early 2023 and perform as a soloist with a full regional orchestra sometime in the 2022/2023 concert season.

A host of principal players and other members of The Philadelphia Orchestra make up the faculty at PIMF’s summer music programs. The adjudication panel for PIMF’s June Concerto Competition consisted of Hai-Ye Ni, Principal Cello, The Philadelphia Orchestra; Philip Kates, violin, The Philadelphia Orchestra; Thomas Hong, artistic director and conductor of the University of Pennsylvania Orchestras; and Grammy-nominated pianist Dr. Mark Livshits.

Srijani has been playing cello for 13 years, and is no stranger to the competition circuit.

“Competitions are a great opportunity to practice really hard and push yourself, regardless of how far it takes you,” the La Canada High School 12th grader said. “It is good motivation to learn a certain piece well by a certain time. By playing in front of judges, you can also test yourself under pressure. Some competitions can also be a good place to meet other musicians who are at a similar level in terms of playing abilities. Although everyone is technically competing against each other, you can learn so much from another fellow musician.”

PIMF’s next in-person training opportunity for young musicians is "Music in the Mansion," intensive solo performance preparation for violinists and cellists ages 13 through 19 at a mansion in Miami, Florida, December 27, 2022 - January 1, 2023.

ABOUT The Philadelphia International Music Festival:

The Philadelphia International Music Festival (PIMF) is a resident summer music program directed by Kimberly Fisher, Principal Second Violin of The Philadelphia Orchestra, offering student musicians from around the world the unique opportunity of spending up to four weeks immersed in music education and performance training with members of the world-renowned Philadelphia Orchestra.

PIMF faculty included this year the following members of The Philadelphia Orchestra (amongst a host of others): David Kim, Concertmaster; Marc Rovetti, Assistant Concertmaster; Kimberly Fisher, Principal Second Violin; Hai-Ye Ni, Principal Cellist; Priscilla Lee, Associate Principal Cello; Nathaniel West, Acting Assistant Principal Bass; Patrick Williams, Associate Principal Flute; Ricardo Morales, Principal Clarinet; Mark Gigliotti, Co-Principal Bassoon; Jeffrey Lang, Associate Principal Horn; Matthew Vaughn, Co-Principal Trombone; and Angela Zator Nelson, Associate Principal Timpani. Boris Allakhverdyan, Principal Clarinet of the Los Angeles Philharmonic is also on faculty each summer.

For more information on PIMF, visit philadelphiamusicfestival.org, call (856) 875-6816, “like” the Philadelphia International Music Camp & Festival on Facebook, follow @pimfmusiccamp on Instagram and Twitter, and visit the Philadelphia International Music Festival YouTube Channel for performance videos from previous festival seasons.