At its inception in 1992, Balmain Sinfonia established the Richard Goldner Scholarship Fund into which it deposits 10% of all ticket sales.The purpose of the Fund is to provide financial assistance to talented young musicians.
For twenty years (1993–2011) the selection was achieved by means of a biennial Concerto Competition. The Concerto Competition format has now been suspended and a variety of other methods will be established for the disbursement of the funds to worthy young players.
Past Winners
2011
Emily Sun, violin
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
Currently studying at the Royal College of Music
2009
Sonja Schebeck, violin
Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 1
Currently studying with Chris Kimber
2007
Richard Narroway, cello
Dvorak Cello Concerto
Currently studying with Professor Hans Jøgen Jensen at the Bienen School of Music, Northwestern University in the USA
2005
Zhu Wen, violin
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
Currently studying with Charmian Gadd
2003
Vivien Jeffery, violin
Sibelius Violin Concerto
Currently studying in Germany
2001
Wei Wen, violin
Bruch Scottish Fantasy
Received her Masters from the Julliard School, New York, and is now a professor at the University of Chendu, China
1999
Chen Gu, violin
Brahms Violin Concerto
Is now concertmaster of the Macau Orchestra
1997
Sophie Rowell, violin
Beethoven Violin Concerto
Leads the Australian String Quartet, resident at the University of Adelaide
1995
Susie Park, violin
Wieniawski Violin Concerto No. 2
Currently playing with the Eroica Piano Trio in New York
1993
Natalie Chee, violin
Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto
Is concertmaster of Camerata Salzburg