Cellist Lee Jeri, KNIGA, Wins 6^th Schoenfeld International String Competition

Lee Jeri, a current student of KNIGA, won the 6^th Schoenfeld International String Competition held in Harbin, China.

Aged 15 (born October 2009), Lee became the youngest-ever contestant and winner of the competition. She was awarded the $30,000 USD (approximately 41.76 million KRW) prize.

In her acceptance speech, Lee said, “I focused on enjoying the competition, so I feel this prize is a big bonus. It’s hard to believe I won, and I can’t express how thankful I am for the result. I did my best to prepare for every round. I was delighted to have the audience listening to and empathizing with my playing. I will continue to strive to be a musician who can give consolation and touch many people’s hearts.”

The Schoenfeld International String Competition was initiated in 2013 in memory of violinist Alice Schoenfeld and her sister, cellist Eleonore Schoenfeld, both legendary performers and professors at the University of Southern California.

The competition is a biennial event held in Harbin, featuring three sections – violin, cello, and chamber music.

Lee Jeri clinched first place after performing Tchaikovsky’s “Variations on Rococo Theme Op. 33” with the Harbin Symphony Orchestra conducted by Jindong Cai.

Lee Jeri entered and graduated from the Yewon Middle School with top honors. She received the Lee Dae Bong Award and Doam Fellowship scholarship. Upon admission to Seoul Art High School, she was granted a full scholarship. Recognized as an arts prodigy, she has been a student of KNIGA since 2019. Lee is expected to enter K-Arts through early admission in 2026.