Emad Zolfaghari (viola) – Irving M. Klein International String Competition Winner

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Violist Emad Zolfaghari won the Irving M.Klein International String Competition, despite being on a two-week-long tour playing principal viola with the Curtis Institute Symphony Orchestra in the days immediately before the competition.

This snapshot of professional life excited Zolfaghari, but because the Curtis Institute had packed and shipped the orchestra’s instruments from city to city, his practice time was limited. While this caused some stress, it also forced him “to have fun on the tour and see the cities instead of practising all the time.”

For Zolfaghari, connection is a vital part of music-making. His favourite piece from the competition was a Brahms viola sonata. “Sonatas are like a duet with the pianist,” he said. “They are more collaborative and require more teamwork.” He also has a soft spot for Brahms, who was a violist himself, praising the composer as down-to-earth and grounded.

Another of Zolfaghari’s most notable musical experiences was in the summer of 2022, when he performed Mendelssohn’s String Quartet No. 2 in A minor at the Perlman Music Program. Zolfaghari bonded with his colleagues, and the music they made together made for the “best chamber music experience ever.”

The format of the Irving M. Klein Competition was well-suited to Zolfaghari’s desire to create personal connections through musical collaboration. He describes the environment as more of a community than competition, especially when speaking about his host family and the competition’s administration. With their support, he was able to devote all his focus and energy to his playing, without worrying about cooking meals or managing schedules, something he describes as a privilege. This gave him extra time to focus on pre-performance breathing and mindfulness, which he insists makes all the difference when nervous.

With his young musical career off to a sensational start, Zolfaghari looks forward to continuing to share and connect with other like-minded individuals. He will continue his undergraduate degree at the Curtis Institute, and aspires to perform as much as possible in the coming years.