Singaporean Celine Ng, 8, wins two awards at global violin competition in Prague

SINGAPORE – Two days before setting off for Prague, Celine Ng was not expecting a cancellation of her flight to the Czech Republic capital, where she would be competing in an international violin competition.

The seven-year-old was about to make her European debut at 2026’s Josef Micka Violin Competition, where young violinists up to 16 years of age compete in five categories.

Celine was the only Singaporean participating in the annual competition in its 14th edition, joining 52 other young musicians from 12 countries. It was held from March 6 to 8.

But when the US-Israeli war on Iran broke out on Feb 28, and global air travel was disrupted, Celine’s Emirates flight was among the many affected.

After scrambling to find an alternative, Celine’s party – which included her father and paternal grandmother – secured a layover flight at South Korea’s Incheon International Airport.

They arrived in Prague in the nick of time, about 13 hours before Celine’s March 4 run-through with the accompanying pianist there.

On stage on March 6 – coincidentally her 8th birthday – Celine was not expecting to win.

So when it was announced that she had topped her category – for those up to age eight – it was a “pleasant surprise”, her father, Mr Ng Chew Lip, told The Straits Times.

Then came the cherry on top: Celine won best overall interpretation of a piece composed by Czech musician Josef Micka. For this, she took home a cash prize of 1,000 Czech koruna (S$60).

“Taking part in this competition was a really nice experience. I’m very thankful I was awarded,” she said.

Celine’s instructor Jayne Lee, 41, believes the girl’s awards were in recognition of several facets of her performance, including technical mastery and musical interpretation.

Another violin pupil under Ms Lee, Rika Kato, 11, finished third in her category – which was open to those aged 12 and under.

To the tween, winning was not all that mattered. Rika, a Japanese national who lives in Singapore, said: “Participating in the competition gives me a clear goal and helps me understand what I need to work on in the future.”

Under Ms Lee’s tutelage, the duo began preparing for the competition in January 2026.

“These girls are still in primary and middle school, yet they flew across the world, performed in Prague and then returned straight back to their classrooms,” she said.

Celine – the middle child of three girls and a Primary 2 pupil at CHIJ St Nicholas Girls’ School – practises the instrument an hour each day. Her four-year-old sister has recently also picked up the violin.

Their parents, both doctors, started Celine on the instrument in January 2024, in the hope that she will learn to appreciate music and develop a hobby outside of schoolwork.

“We were pleasantly surprised to know that she was doing well with the violin... But we did have some concerns over whether she would be able to juggle schoolwork and practice, so we allowed her to take it at her own pace,” said Mr Ng, 42.

But having her compete was not part of the plan, he added.

Likewise, Rika’s mother, Ms Hisano Kato, a homemaker, said learning the violin was a natural extension of Rika’s passion for music.

“At the time, both Rika and I were content with her simply becoming proficient at playing,” said Ms Kato, who is in her early 50s.

Rika, who has an older brother who plays the piano, began learning the instrument in May 2021. Now a Year 7 student at Tanglin Trust School, she dedicates between two and five hours a day for her practice.

Looking ahead, the girls are excited to compete again, said Ms Lee, adding that there is no pressure for them to pursue professional music careers.

“They are still young and the priority is for them to explore music, enjoy learning and continue growing as musicians.”