The John Pollard Competition for Young String Players identifies, financially assists and develops the potential of exceptional young string players. Six Junior RIAM students competed for the John Pollard Award of €2,000 for an outstanding violinist or violist and the Stephen Vernon Award of €2,000 for an outstanding cellist or double bass player. Our jury on the night were Deborah Kelleher, Lisa Dowdall and Malachy Robinson, who had the difficult task of selecting the winners.
Sam Monedero was announced as the winner of the John Pollard Award for an outstanding violinist with performances of Sarasate's Zigeunerweisen, Chopin/Milstein's Nocturne No.20 and Bach's Violin Partitia No.3 in E Major. Also performing on the evening was Olivia Rose Vondrys (violin) and Andrei Trif (violin).
Ai Shen Sun was announced as the winner of the Stephen Vernon Award for an outstanding cellist or double bass player. Ai Shen performed Bach's Cello Suite No.2 in D minor, Courante, Martinu's Variations on a Theme by Rossini and Saint Saens's Cello Concerto No.1 in A minor, Op. 33, Mvt.3. Also competing were Sofia Hillebrenner (cello) and Anita Han (cello).
Sam Monedero Biography
Sam is a fifth-year student who has been playing the violin since he was 6 years old, having recently joined the Royal Irish Academy of Music to study with Lynda O’Connor. He has been a prizewinner at Feis Ceoil and Arklow Music Festival and was a finalist in the Dublin Philharmonic Society Junior Solo
Competition 2024. He is passionate about both solo and ensemble music and has participated in numerous chamber music courses, for example with ConTempo Quartet and at ConCorda summer school. He is a member of Dublin Youth Orchestra and Ulster Youth Orchestra. He has been the leader
of DYO Junior Strings and Concert orchestras and is currently leader of their Symphony Orchestra. He has been chosen to play the first movement of Bruch Violin Concerto no. 1 with DYO later this spring, under the baton of Gavin Maloney.
Ai Shen Sun Biography
Ai Shen Sun, a 12-year-old cellist, started playing the cello at 7, studying with William Butt. By 8, he performed as soloist on the stage of Dublin City Hall. Ai Shen has contributed to solo performances for Easter fundraisers at St Paul’s CBS and Christmas concerts when he was 10 with his sister. He also contributes to soloist performances for competition funding concerts at Northstar Taekwondo Club, where they train and are both Irish National Champions. At 11, he became RIAM Young Artist and performed at Airfield Estate earlier this year. Ai Shen is currently the Belvedere College Orchestra's section leader at age 12. Besides the cello, Ai Shen excels as a pianist, winning 1st prizes at Feis Ceoil and standing out as winner at RIAM’s PianoFest. At just 10 years old he accompanied his sister Ai Lin in the Junior Concerto competition of Feis Ceoil, claiming another 1st prize. They have also both performed solo piano in Slovenia for World Coach Day Concerts in 2022. Ai Shen consistently earns piano scholarships at RIAM and is also a young organist at the Carmelite Whitefriar Street Church. He is a member of the Belvedere College Choir, performing at Liberties of Christ Church and at the GPO for Christmas fundraising. With dedication and passion, Ai Shen continues to impress as a young musician and hopes to pursue music in the future.