Bella Hristova

Bella Hristova, Violin, 2005 Chamber Music Festival, arrived in the United States in June 1999, at age 13, from her native Bulgaria to study under Stephen Shipps at the Meadowmount School of Music in New York State. By far the youngest among an international group of young professionals at Meadowmount, she played in a concert of the complete Solo Sonatas of Belgian violin virtuso Eugene Ysaye, an event showcased by Strad Magazine. Only a few months later she won the First Prize at the 1999 International Enesco Competition in Bucharest, Romania. On returns to the International Kocian Competition, judges awarded her First Prize in 2000 and the sweep of Grand Prize, European Union Prize and Barenreiter Prize in 2001. In September 2003, poised and dedicated and a mere 17, Ms. Hristova entered Curtis Institute of Music.