ʃiː sˈuːn ɡˈeɪnd nˈoʊɾɪs ɪn ˌɪntɚnˈæʃənəl kˌɑːmpətˈɪʃənz, wˈɪnɪŋ fˈɜːst pɹˈaɪzᵻz ɪn dʒənˈiːvə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi tˈuː, bˌuːdəpˈɛst nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi fˈoːɹ, ænd ðə mˈɔːɹɪs vˈiːʌ ˌɪntɚnˈæʃənəl vaɪˈoʊlə kˌɑːmpətˈɪʃən ɪn pˈæɹɪs nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi θɹˈiː, fɔːɹ wˌɪtʃ ʃiː wʌz ɐwˈɔːɹdᵻd ɐn ˈɪnstɹəmənt baɪ kəntˈɛmpɚɹˌɛɹi lˈʌθiɚɹ ɪtˈiən vˈeɪtlɑːt nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi.
She soon gained notice in international competitions, winning first prizes in Geneva (1982), Budapest (1984), and the Maurice Vieux International Viola Competition in Paris (1983), for which she was awarded an instrument by contemporary luthier Étienne Vatelot (1980).