The remarkable achievements of our participants reflect the exceptional standards upheld by the Competition. To celebrate these accomplishments, we have gathered inspiring success stories of the winners of the Viktor Tretyakov International Violin Competition, beginning with those from 2018. Discover their journeys and let their triumphs inspire you.
Sergei Dogadin
Sergei Dogadin, the most highly titled and experienced participant, was awarded the main prize at the 1st Viktor Tretyakov International Violin Competition. As the winner, he received a monetary award and the extraordinary opportunity to perform with world-leading orchestras throughout Russia and Europe. Just months after his triumph in Krasnoyarsk, Dogadin further distinguished himself by winning the gold medal at the XVI International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow.
Following these dazzling performances at prestigious music competitions, Sergei Dogadin gained international recognition, establishing himself as one of the foremost violinists of his generation.
Today, his solo engagements include performances with renowned orchestras across the United Kingdom, Germany, Hungary, Singapore, China, Australia, and Russia. At several distinguished festivals, Dogadin has had the honor of playing violins of Niccolò Paganini and Johann Strauss. His concerts are frequently broadcast to audiences around the globe.
Since 2022, Sergei Dogadin has served as a professor at the Centro Superior Katarina Gurska in Madrid, Spain, sharing his artistry and expertise with the next generation of musicians.
Following these dazzling performances at prestigious music competitions, Sergei Dogadin gained international recognition, establishing himself as one of the foremost violinists of his generation.
Today, his solo engagements include performances with renowned orchestras across the United Kingdom, Germany, Hungary, Singapore, China, Australia, and Russia. At several distinguished festivals, Dogadin has had the honor of playing violins of Niccolò Paganini and Johann Strauss. His concerts are frequently broadcast to audiences around the globe.
Since 2022, Sergei Dogadin has served as a professor at the Centro Superior Katarina Gurska in Madrid, Spain, sharing his artistry and expertise with the next generation of musicians.
María Dueñas
In 2021, the Grand Prix of the II Viktor Tretyakov International Violin Competition was awarded by unanimous jury decision to the Spanish violinist María Dueñas. At the time of her participation, the eighteen-year-old Maria was studying at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna and the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz, under the guidance of Professor Boris Kuschnir.
That same artistic season, Dueñas was named "New Generation Artist 2021–2023" by BBC Radio 3 and soon signed an exclusive contract with the legendary Deutsche Grammophon.
Spring 2022 brought a highly anticipated double debut at Barcelona’s Palau de la Música Catalana, where the spotlight was shared by the extraordinarily expressive conductor Alondra de la Parra and the captivating María Dueñas. Accompanied by the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, María dazzled the audience with a virtuosic rendition of Sibelius’s Violin Concerto, earning thunderous applause.
Just months later, the world premiere of a violin concerto written especially for Dueñas took place with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel. Both the Walt Disney Concert Hall and Carnegie Hall were packed to capacity for these unforgettable performances.
At the age of twenty, María recorded her debut album, Beethoven and Beyond, for which she was honored with the Opus-Klassik Prize in Berlin.
Today, María Dueñas tours internationally, performing solo recitals and collaborating with leading European and American orchestras, including the San Francisco Symphony, the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Spanish National Orchestra. In addition to her virtuosity as a performer, she is also a composer.
In February 2025, María released her new album, Caprices, featuring works by Paganini and his followers. Among her upcoming engagements are performances at Carnegie Hall in New York, the Palace of Charles V in her native Granada, and appearances at the Rheingau Music Festival in Germany and the Tanglewood Music Festival in the United States.
That same artistic season, Dueñas was named "New Generation Artist 2021–2023" by BBC Radio 3 and soon signed an exclusive contract with the legendary Deutsche Grammophon.
Spring 2022 brought a highly anticipated double debut at Barcelona’s Palau de la Música Catalana, where the spotlight was shared by the extraordinarily expressive conductor Alondra de la Parra and the captivating María Dueñas. Accompanied by the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, María dazzled the audience with a virtuosic rendition of Sibelius’s Violin Concerto, earning thunderous applause.
Just months later, the world premiere of a violin concerto written especially for Dueñas took place with the Los Angeles Philharmonic under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel. Both the Walt Disney Concert Hall and Carnegie Hall were packed to capacity for these unforgettable performances.
At the age of twenty, María recorded her debut album, Beethoven and Beyond, for which she was honored with the Opus-Klassik Prize in Berlin.
Today, María Dueñas tours internationally, performing solo recitals and collaborating with leading European and American orchestras, including the San Francisco Symphony, the Luxembourg Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Spanish National Orchestra. In addition to her virtuosity as a performer, she is also a composer.
In February 2025, María released her new album, Caprices, featuring works by Paganini and his followers. Among her upcoming engagements are performances at Carnegie Hall in New York, the Palace of Charles V in her native Granada, and appearances at the Rheingau Music Festival in Germany and the Tanglewood Music Festival in the United States.
Eugene Kawai
The first prize of the II Competition, along with the Valery Gergiev Special Prize, was awarded to Eugene Kawai from Japan.
Two years later, the young violinist earned a degree from the Tokyo University of Arts and was invited to serve as a member of the jury for the XI International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians in Moscow.
Eugene has performed with distinguished orchestras such as the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, the NHK Chamber Orchestra, and the Sichuan Symphony Orchestra. He plays the Antonio Stradivari “Lyall” violin (1702), generously loaned to him by the ITOH Foundation.
In 2024, Eugene was named a laureate of the Tokyo Minato City International Music Competition. This year, he also participated in the International Music Festival in Prague.
Two years later, the young violinist earned a degree from the Tokyo University of Arts and was invited to serve as a member of the jury for the XI International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians in Moscow.
Eugene has performed with distinguished orchestras such as the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra, the NHK Chamber Orchestra, and the Sichuan Symphony Orchestra. He plays the Antonio Stradivari “Lyall” violin (1702), generously loaned to him by the ITOH Foundation.
In 2024, Eugene was named a laureate of the Tokyo Minato City International Music Competition. This year, he also participated in the International Music Festival in Prague.
Lin Ruifeng
In 2023, the Grand Prix of the Viktor Tretyakov International Violin Competition was awarded to Chinese virtuoso Ruifeng Lin.
In 2024, he reached the semifinals of the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition and claimed second prize at the Dubai International Violin Competition.
A student of the renowned Chinese violinist and pedagogue Vera Tsu Weiling, Lin has performed with the China Philharmonic Orchestra, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, and the symphony orchestras of Guangzhou, Guiyang, Kunming, Xi’an, Suzhou, and Tianjin, as well as the Harbin Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also collaborated with the philharmonic orchestras of Hangzhou, Shanghai, and other leading ensembles across China.
In May of this year, Russian audiences had the pleasure of experiencing his virtuosity firsthand. At the D.D. Shostakovich St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Lin performed Sibelius’s Violin Concerto with the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra.
Currently, Ruifeng Lin serves as concertmaster of the Symphony Orchestra of the Shanghai Conservatory and the Novus-Classica Camerata Orchestra.
In 2024, he reached the semifinals of the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition and claimed second prize at the Dubai International Violin Competition.
A student of the renowned Chinese violinist and pedagogue Vera Tsu Weiling, Lin has performed with the China Philharmonic Orchestra, the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, and the symphony orchestras of Guangzhou, Guiyang, Kunming, Xi’an, Suzhou, and Tianjin, as well as the Harbin Philharmonic Orchestra. He has also collaborated with the philharmonic orchestras of Hangzhou, Shanghai, and other leading ensembles across China.
In May of this year, Russian audiences had the pleasure of experiencing his virtuosity firsthand. At the D.D. Shostakovich St. Petersburg Philharmonic, Lin performed Sibelius’s Violin Concerto with the St. Petersburg Symphony Orchestra.
Currently, Ruifeng Lin serves as concertmaster of the Symphony Orchestra of the Shanghai Conservatory and the Novus-Classica Camerata Orchestra.
Daniil Leonid Kogan
The first prize of the III Viktor Tretyakov International Violin Competition was awarded to Daniil Kogan - a violinist, grandson of the legendary Leonid Kogan and Elizaveta Gilels, and nephew of renowned conductor Pavel Kogan.
Daniil Kogan performs extensively in Russia and internationally, appearing in prestigious venues such as the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, the Mariinsky Theatre, and the St. Petersburg State Academic Capella. His concert tours have also taken him to the halls of the Odessa Philharmonic, the Lithuanian National Philharmonic, Palazzo Chigi-Saracini in Siena, Salle Poirel in Nancy, Carnegie Hall and Merkin Hall in New York, Hitachi Systems Hall in Sendai, the Estonia Concert Hall in Tallinn, the Maison de la Radio et de la Musique in Paris, and Flagey in Brussels.
Kogan is the founder and artistic director of the experimental creative association "Pritiazhenie" (Attraction). He also teaches at the Chamber Ensemble and String Quartet Department of the Moscow Conservatory.
Daniil Kogan performs on an Antonio Stradivari violin crafted in 1737.
Since 2024, he has collaborated with composer Baruch Berliner and producer Nahum Slutzker.
In spring 2025, the publication The Blueprint named Daniil Kogan to its annual The Blueprint 100 list, recognizing leading domestic cultural and artistic figures who are shaping the future of culture.
Daniil Kogan performs extensively in Russia and internationally, appearing in prestigious venues such as the Great Hall of the Moscow Conservatory, the Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, the Mariinsky Theatre, and the St. Petersburg State Academic Capella. His concert tours have also taken him to the halls of the Odessa Philharmonic, the Lithuanian National Philharmonic, Palazzo Chigi-Saracini in Siena, Salle Poirel in Nancy, Carnegie Hall and Merkin Hall in New York, Hitachi Systems Hall in Sendai, the Estonia Concert Hall in Tallinn, the Maison de la Radio et de la Musique in Paris, and Flagey in Brussels.
Kogan is the founder and artistic director of the experimental creative association "Pritiazhenie" (Attraction). He also teaches at the Chamber Ensemble and String Quartet Department of the Moscow Conservatory.
Daniil Kogan performs on an Antonio Stradivari violin crafted in 1737.
Since 2024, he has collaborated with composer Baruch Berliner and producer Nahum Slutzker.
In spring 2025, the publication The Blueprint named Daniil Kogan to its annual The Blueprint 100 list, recognizing leading domestic cultural and artistic figures who are shaping the future of culture.
Alexandra Li and Stephaniya Pospekhina
In 2023, second place was shared by the youngest contestant - sixteen-year-old Stefaniya Pospekhina - and Alexandra Li, concertmaster and first violin of the Sochi Symphony Orchestra.
Alexandra Li collaborates with distinguished conductors such as Leonard Slatkin, George Manahan, Mikhail Pletnev, Yuri Simonov, James Judd, Vladimir Fedoseyev, and Yuri Bashmet, among others.
Young Stefaniya was hailed as a “new diamond of the Russian violin school” by Sergey Ostrovsky, professor at the Geneva Academy of Music.
In February 2024, Stefaniya won the Grand Prix of the First International Competition of Academic Musical Art “Symphony of Yamal” and became the youngest nominee in the annual Forbes “30 Under 30” ranking in the “Art” category.
Alexandra Li collaborates with distinguished conductors such as Leonard Slatkin, George Manahan, Mikhail Pletnev, Yuri Simonov, James Judd, Vladimir Fedoseyev, and Yuri Bashmet, among others.
Young Stefaniya was hailed as a “new diamond of the Russian violin school” by Sergey Ostrovsky, professor at the Geneva Academy of Music.
In February 2024, Stefaniya won the Grand Prix of the First International Competition of Academic Musical Art “Symphony of Yamal” and became the youngest nominee in the annual Forbes “30 Under 30” ranking in the “Art” category.
Yinuo Fang
In 2023, the special Valery Gergiev Prize - a performance with the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra in China - was awarded to Chinese violinist Yinuo Fang.
During their tour across China, Russian People’s Artist Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra made their debut performance in the city of Shenzhen. A delightful surprise for the Chinese audience was the participation of a young compatriot - a talented violinist - alongside the renowned ensemble. The violinist considered it a tremendous honor to perform with the Mariinsky Theatre and Maestro Gergiev. According to Yinuo Fang, this experience became one of the most significant events of her life.
During their tour across China, Russian People’s Artist Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra made their debut performance in the city of Shenzhen. A delightful surprise for the Chinese audience was the participation of a young compatriot - a talented violinist - alongside the renowned ensemble. The violinist considered it a tremendous honor to perform with the Mariinsky Theatre and Maestro Gergiev. According to Yinuo Fang, this experience became one of the most significant events of her life.
Discovering new talents in the world of art and supporting young violinists in their creative and professional development is a central mission of the Tretyakov Competition.
Participation in prestigious international competitions opens doors to new opportunities - invitations to further contests and concerts, invaluable experience, and the chance to perform alongside leading musicians of our time.
Thus, last autumn, competition laureates Daniil Kogan, Alexandra Li, Stefaniya Pospekhina, and Yinuo Fang took part in the First Viktor Tretyakov Violin Festival in Krasnoyarsk.
Young talents shone on stage alongside Maestro Viktor Tretyakov, Russian People’s Artist Denis Matsuev, Honored Artist of Russia Ekaterina Mechetina, and Alexander Ramm. The gifted performers also took part in the festival’s educational program.
According to Ekaterina Mechetina, this is a rare opportunity: participants of the competition named after a legendary musician not only receive personal feedback from the master himself, but also have the chance to grow through creative exchanges with leading artists.
We remind that musicians aged 16 to 32, from anywhere in the world, are invited to apply for the Fourth Viktor Tretyakov International Violin Competition. Applications are open until June 20, 2025, and can be submitted on the official competition website.
The competition is organized with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Krasnoyarsk region.
Participation in prestigious international competitions opens doors to new opportunities - invitations to further contests and concerts, invaluable experience, and the chance to perform alongside leading musicians of our time.
Thus, last autumn, competition laureates Daniil Kogan, Alexandra Li, Stefaniya Pospekhina, and Yinuo Fang took part in the First Viktor Tretyakov Violin Festival in Krasnoyarsk.
Young talents shone on stage alongside Maestro Viktor Tretyakov, Russian People’s Artist Denis Matsuev, Honored Artist of Russia Ekaterina Mechetina, and Alexander Ramm. The gifted performers also took part in the festival’s educational program.
According to Ekaterina Mechetina, this is a rare opportunity: participants of the competition named after a legendary musician not only receive personal feedback from the master himself, but also have the chance to grow through creative exchanges with leading artists.
We remind that musicians aged 16 to 32, from anywhere in the world, are invited to apply for the Fourth Viktor Tretyakov International Violin Competition. Applications are open until June 20, 2025, and can be submitted on the official competition website.
The competition is organized with the support of the Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation and the Government of the Krasnoyarsk region.