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MEDIA RELEASE
7 December 2009
XENIA TRIUMPHS IN GISBORNE
Pilot member of The Con’s Open Academy Rising Stars program, Xenia Deviatkina-Loh, has claimed
the prestigious Gisborne International Music Competition in Victoria.
The 18 year old Bachelor of Music student won the supreme award for orchestral musicians 16-25
years after an event lasting seven days and involving 50 contestants and 65 recitals to choose the
three finalists.
The violinist, who lives in Burwood, gained the judges’ verdict from Daidi Wu (cello, Singapore) and
Sonia Schebeck (violin, Sydney).
Xenia is a student of The Con’s Associate Professor Alice Waten, one of Australia’s most pre-eminent
international music teachers.
Her Gisborne triumph tops off a successful 2009 – Xenia was a finalist in the ABC Young Performer
of the Year award, performing Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1
Deviatkina-Loh has attended the Victorian College of the Arts Secondary School (VCASS), Australian
Institute of Music and the Australian National Academy of Music.
Her awards include the Hephzibah Menuhin Memorial Award (2006), John Tallis/3MBS Victorian
Young Performers Award (2006), Preston Symphony Orchestra Youth Concerto Competition (2006),
and the Senior Section prize and KPO Players Award of the Ku-ring-gai Philharmonic's NSW
Secondary Schools Concerto Competition (2008), where she played Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy on
Themes of Bizet.
Other performances include Bach's Concerto in D minor for Two Violins with the Willoughby
Symphony Orchestra and Suyeon Kang, and the Melba Festival at Yarra Grange and Beleura House
and Garden with Stefan Cassemenos. Her performances have been broadcast by ABC Classic FM and
3MBS.
“We are full of pride and delighted for Xenia…this is a highly regarded competition and the voting
underscores her glowing talent,” commented Professor Kim Walker, Dean and Principal of The Con.
“The result is also a tribute to her teacher Alice Waten, who has taught at distinguished institutions
around the globe and mentored dozens of successful Australian artists in a 37 year career.”
Media inquiries to Scott Saunders, at The Con, on 02 9351 1298, or Graham Cassidy,
Cato Counsel, 0419 202317
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