The Grand Final of the ABC Young Performers Awards was held on 24 July 2018 in the Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House.

Emily was named the winner after her masterful performance of Beethoven’s monumental Violin Concerto in D accompanied by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra conducted by Nicholas Milton. The concert also included thrilling performances from two other Finalists, Oliver Shermacher (NSW) performing the Weber Clarinet Concerto No. 1 in F minor and Kevin Chow (VIC) performing Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2.

The ABC Young Performer of the Year wins:

• $50,000 AETT Scholarship: A scholarship to study overseas presented by the Australian Elizabethan Theatre Trust
• $30,000 Sheila Walker Scholarship: a cash grant to assist with a programme of study or musical activity sponsored by Mr David Walker
• They also become the ABC Classic FM Artist in Residence and will have the opportunity to record an album at the ABC, guided by the expertise of its specialist music production team; and
• A limited-edition Drago Marin Cherina bronze trophy. Presented by Music & Opera Singers Trust.

Emily also won:
The Sydney Symphony Orchestra Prize – a professional engagement for a performance with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Prize – a professional engagement for a performance wIth the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
The Adelaide Symphony Orchestra Prize – An opportunity for a professional engagement with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra
The Melbourne Recital Centre Prize – An opportunity for a finalist to appear at the Melbourne Recital Centre in 2018 or 2019
The UKARIA Recital Prize – an opportunity to perform a recital in the UKARIA Cultural Centre, Adelaide Hills
The City Recital Hall Prize – An opportunity to perform a solo recital as part of City Recital Hall’s A Little Lunch Music Series
The YMF Award for Best Recital – a total award of $25,000 for best Recital at the Semi Finals

The 2018 ABC Young Performers Awards Finals Concert Online Programme

Emily Sun was the Strings winner of the 2011 YPA and prizewinner in numerous international violin competitions such as the Royal-Overseas-League Gold Medal (UK), Yampolsky (Russia), Brahms (Austria) and Lipizer (Italy). Emily has appeared as soloist with Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Tasmania and Queensland Symphony Orchestras, and is a regular guest soloist with orchestras in USA, Europe and Asia.

Emily is a BBC Introducing Artist, and in 2019 will be premiering Tan Dun’s new violin concerto across China. She performed Bach’s Double Violin Concerto with Maxim Vengerov at the 2017 Royal Gala hosted by HRH Prince of Wales in Buckingham Palace.

Emily studied at the Sydney Conservatorium with Dr Robin Wilson and is currently at the Royal College of Music, studying with Itzhak Rashkovsky. She is also Artist-in-Residence at Chapelle Musicale Reine Elisabeth, mentored by Augustin Dumay. She was supported by the AMF Nora Goodridge award. Emily plays a 1947 A.E. Smith violin, made in Sydney.