Sayaka Shoji, a 16-year-old violinist from Tokyo, won first prize at the prestigious Niccolo Paganini international violin competition held in Genoa, Italy, in October. She is the first Japanese to win the contest.

Sayaka impressed the judges with an outstanding performance despite a series of accidents. She injured her left forefinger during practicing shortly before the contest, and one of the strings of her violin snapped while she performed in the preliminary contest.

The competition is named after Italian composer and violinist Niccolo Paganini (1782-1840) and began in 1954 in Genoa, his hometown. Victory at the contest is considered a ticket to an illustrious solo career for young violinists. The most notable Japanese participant had been Akiko Suwanai, who won second prize in 1988 at the age of 16. Akiko Ono, 21, also from Tokyo, place third in this year's competition.

Born in 1983, Sayaka began playing the violin at the age of five. She has won many domestic contests as well as junior international competitions. The Paganini was the first contest in which she competed against professional violinists from around the world.

Sayaka is now attending a high school in Cologne, Germany, as an exchange student from a Japanese school, and she is continuing her studies under a noted violinist.

Photo: Sayaka Shoji is all smiles following her victory. (Kajimoto Concert Management)