2026 AFSF Opportunity Award recipient
Lily Sullivan, 18, is a freshman at The Colburn School studying violin with Martin Beaver. She is a previous student of Grigory Kalinovsky.
Lily began studying violin at the age of five at the OCU Children’s Performing Arts Program with Karén Khanagov. She made her solo orchestral debut at age seven and has performed with orchestras such as the Ann Arbor and Indianapolis Symphony Orchestras.
Lily was named the Third Prize winner at the 10th International Louis Spohr Competition for Young Violinists in Weimar, Germany, and the First Place Winner of the 2023 Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Michael Ben & Illene Komisarow Maurer Young Musicians Contest. Lily was also a semi-finalist of the Kloster Schöntal International Violin Competition and the Johansen International Competition, Young Laureate of the Chicago International Violin Competition for two consecutive years, and the First Prize winner of the Grand Prize Virtuoso Brussels and London International Competitions.
Chamber music accolades include the First Place and Grand Awards in the Barnett, Rembrandt, and Chicago National Chamber Music Competitions. Lily was also honored to be selected as a Young Steinway Artist, to perform in the North Shore Chamber Music Festival’s Onstage/Offstage Series, and to perform on radio programs such as NPR’s From The Top and WFMT’s Introductions.
As an orchestral musician, she has served as concertmaster of the Music Academy of the West Festival Orchestra, the Music Institute of Chicago Chamber Orchestra, and the Colburn Baroque Ensemble. She is also a member of the violin sections of the Colburn Orchestra.
She has attended festivals such as Music Academy of the West, the Heifetz International Music Institute, the Yellow Barn Young Artists Program, and the Music@Menlo Young Performers Program. She has performed in masterclasses for Ida Kavafian, Mauricio Fuks, Mihaela Martin, Vadim Gluzman, Itzhak Rashkovsky, Ilya Kaler, Shmuel Ashkenasi, and Midori, among many others.