2018 Performer
Paloma So
Twelve-years-old Paloma So is currently a student at Wycombe Abbey School, Buckinghamshire, UK. She loves literature and the arts, as well as outdoor sports such as tennis, swimming and skiing.
Paloma started learning piano at the age of four and violin at five. In February 2014, Paloma made her debut with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra playing Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5. Later that year, she was invited to perform as a soloist at the G20 Gala Dinner in Australia. Since then she has also performed with the Fujian Symphony Orchestra, Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, Berlin Symphony Orchestra and London Philharmonic Orchestra. In 2016, she was also invited to perform at the Interlaken Music Festival in Switzerland. She also studies violin with Prof. Zakhar Bron at the Interlaken masterclass.
Paloma won the second prize, in the 17 and below age group, at the prestigious 13th International Wieniawski Competition for Young Violinists in Lublin, Poland in 2015. In 2016, she won the first prize at Novosibirsk Violin Competition as the youngest participant in history when she was ten years old. In Dec 2017, Paloma won the first prize at Moscow International Television Contest for Young Musicians “Nutcracker”.
Paloma collaborated with Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra, playing Vieuxtemps Violin Concerto No. 5 at Foshan Theatre and Guangzhou Concert Hall in April 2016. The same month, Paloma was invited to perform on the same stage with David Garrett in Interlaken Music Festival, Switzerland as well as performing a duet piece with Prof. Zakhar Bron by Shostakovich and a solo Wieniawski Variations on an Original Theme in Berlin Philharmonie. Paloma played Bruch Violin Concerto with the Berlin Symphony Orchestra at the Berlin Philharmonie in November 2016. She was also invited to perform with the Guangzhou Symphony Orchestra again at their Chinese New Year Concert on 31 December 2016 and 1 January 2017.
Together with Maxim Vengerov, Paloma played Navarra with the London Symphony Orchestra at the London Royal Festival Hall on 9 February 2017. In May 2017, she performed Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor with the China Philharmonic Orchestra in Beijing and Xian China. Her maturity and exceptional musicality have earned her critical acclaim and positive audience response. Paloma performed Saint Saens Violin Concerto No. 3 at Cadogan Hall in London, the Berlin Philharmonie in Oct 2017. She was invited to play Carmen Fantasy at the Symphony Under The Stars concert with Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra in Nov 2017. Paloma also performed in Singapore Esplande, Kawasaki Concert Hall, Tokyo Suntory Hall and Taipei National Theater as the soloist with the China Philharmonic Orchestra 2017 Tour of Asia. This January, Paloma performed Mendelssohn Violin Concert in E minor at Thailand TPO New Year’s Concert 2018 with Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra at Prince Mahidol Hall in Bangkok.
In 13 April 2018, Paloma will perform Mozart Violin Concerto No. 3 in Kun Ming with KunMing Nie Er Symphony Orchestra.
Paloma is invited by Russian Culture Channel to perform at the 23rd International Musical Olympus Festival closing concert on 3 June 2018 performaning Prokofiev Violin Concert No. 2.
Paloma is invited to preform together with Vadim Repin in the Trans-Siberian Art Festival in Tokyo on 29 June.
She is also invited to perform on the same stage with Professor Zakhar Bron, and Maestro Vadim Repin at the Inauguration Concert of the 14th International Competition for Young Violinists in Lublin, Poland in Sept 2018.