The top prize of $10,000 and future performance engagements went to baroque violinist Danqi Zeng
The finals of the 2025 Lillian and Maurice Barbash J.S. Bach Competition were held on 16 October at Stony Brook University’s Staller Center Recital Hall.
Four finalists - violinists Gabrielle Desprès (US), Coco Mi (US), baroque violinist Danqi Zeng (China) and violist Wanxinyi Huang (China) - aged between 16 and 30 performed works by J.S. Bach for unaccompanied bowed stringed instruments.
The Grand Prize was awarded to Danqi Zeng, who performed Sonata No.3 in C major, BWV 1005. She received $10,000 and future performing opportunities.
These include an appearance as featured soloist at the annual Island Symphony Bach Festival, which comes with a $1,000 performance fee, plus paid engagements with Gotham Early Music Scene (GEMS), Washington Bach Consort, Amor Artis and The Bach Choir of Bethlehem.
Zeng is an active performer on both modern and baroque violin. Recent competition results include semi-finalist at the 2023 Schoenfeld International String Competition in Harbin, China, plus victories at the 2024 Saint-Georges Violin Concerto Competition on classical violin and the 2025 Stravinsky Violin Concerto Competition on modern violin at Indiana University (IU) Jacobs School of Music.
She is pursuing two doctor of music degrees at IU in violin and historical performance (baroque violin) with Mauricio Fuks and Ingrid Matthews respectively, as well as studies in viola da gamba (treble viol and pardessus de viole) with Joanna Blendulf. Zeng is a graduate of the University of Michigan and the University of Cincinnati.
Second prize was awarded to Coco Mi, who received $2,500 following her performance of Sonata No. 1 in G minor, BWV 1001. Mi was the first prizewinner at the 2025 Washington International Competition, the 2023 Juilliard Concerto Competition, the Inaugural Washington Heights Chamber Orchestra Concerto Competition, Bravura Philharmonic Concerto Competition, and second prize at the 2024 Koussevitzky Young Artist Awards. She is a member of Carnegie Hall’s Ensemble Connect as a 2025-2027 fellow.
The jury comprised Kim Kashkashian, Colin Carr, Renée Jolles, Arthur Haas and Kenneth Slowik.
Past winners of the competition in recent years include violinist Emmanuel Coppey in 2023, bassist Nina Bernat in 2022 and violinists Lun Li and Tianyou Ma in 2021. No first prize was awarded in the 2024 edition, with second prize going to violinist Isabelle Durrenberger.
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