Zeyu Victor Li, 18, a student at Curtis Institute of Music, Philadelphia, won the 19th Annual Schadt String Competition for Violin March 8 at Miller Symphony Hall, Allentown.

Li received $8,000 and a solo performance with the Allentown Symphony Orchestra in November when he will perform the Sibelius Violin Concerto and the world premiere of "Rapsódico" by Roberto Sierra.

"Rapsódico" was commissioned by the Allentown Symphony Association in honor of the 20th anniversary of the Schadt String Competition.

Sierra attended the Schadt finals at Miller Symphony Hall to hear each of the eight semifinalists perform his piece for the first time.

For the finals, Li performed Sibelius's Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47 and "Rapsódico."

Clare Semes, who attends the Julliard School, received second-place prize of $2,500.

Wei Lu, a student at the Manhattan School of Music, received the third place of $1,500.

Li was accepted to the Curtis Institute of Music at the age of 14 in 2010 after attending the Shanghai Conservatory of Music Middle School.

The final rounds judges included Ilya Kaler, Professor of Violin, DePaul University School of Music; James Buswell, who taught at the New England Conservatory (1987 - 2014) and is a violin soloist and chamber musician internationally. and Diane Wittry, Allentown Symphony Orchestra Music Director and Conductor.

Next year, the Schadt String Competition will feature the cello.

information: Stephanie Kocher, Allentown Symphony, 610-432-7961, or allentownsymphony.org.