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SOLOISTS
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Matthildur Traustadóttir, praised by violinist Sigrún Eðvaldsdóttir as having "rare maturity and passionate flair in her lively playing," began playing violin at seven, falling in love with its rich sound and virtuosic potential. She is Icelandic, born in Rimini, Italy, and spent her formative years in Spain, where she commenced her musical studies. In 2020, Matthildur relocated to Iceland, studying with Guðný Guðmundsdóttir. Matthildur has won prizes in multiple competitions. Recently, she won the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra Concerto Competition, soloing with the orchestra in April. She received her first orchestra job this year, and The Louis and Annette Kaufman Music Achievement Award in Violin at Oberlin’s Honors and Awards Reception. Festivals include Meadowmount School of Music, Heifetz Institute of Music as a String Scholar, Music Academy of the West (chosen to study with the Takács String Quartet) and Kneisel Hall.
She studies at Oberlin College and Conservatory with Professor Sibbi Bernharðsson.
Charis Shing is a sophomore at Parkway West High School. She began studying the violin at age four and currently studies with Ms. Joo Kim, a first violinist with the St. Louis Symphony
Orchestra. Now in her fourth year with the St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra, she serves as principal second violin. She also served as concertmaster of the 2025–2026 Missouri All-State
Orchestra.
At age ten, Shing made her solo debut with the Alton Symphony Orchestra as the recipient of the Deborah Fox Guild Award. Since then, she has appeared as a soloist with the Town and Country Symphony Orchestra, University City Symphony Orchestra, Community Music School Young People’s Symphonic Orchestra, and Belleville Philharmonic Orchestra. Most recently, she
won the Florence Frager Young Artist Competition and performed with the St. Louis Civic Orchestra in April 2026.
Shing is a two-time winner of the MTNA Missouri Junior Strings Competition (2023 and 2024). In 2025, she won the MTNA West Central Division Junior Strings Competition and advanced to the
national finals.
An avid chamber musician, Shing has participated in the Community Music School Preparatory Program for the past three years. She was the youngest of six finalists selected to receive a full scholarship for the 2024–2025 season and was also named a 2024–2025 RADAR Young Artist by the Chamber Music Society of St. Louis. During the 2025–2026 Preparatory Program season, she was a member of the Hermosa Quartet, which advanced to the quarterfinals of the Fischoff National Chamber Music Competition.
Shing is deeply grateful to the many people who have supported her musical journey, especially her teacher, Ms. Joo Kim, and her parents, for their guidance and encouragement.
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