Included in the quarter-finalists are Olga Sroubkova, from the Czech Republic, who had been listed as the competition's first alternate.
She was called into the competition a few weeks ago after Hye Jin-Kim, of South Korea, fell ill and had to withdraw.
Ms Sroubkova won the Prague Spring International Competition recently.
Competitors in the ninth Michael Hill competition were selected following auditions in December involving 140 applicants from 32 countries. The Queenstown competition, in the Memorial Centre, will run from Friday until Monday.
Six semi-finalists will advance to round three in the Auckland Town Hall's Concert Chamber on June 7 and 8.
The top three will advance to the grand finale, during which they will perform concerti in the town hall with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra on June 10.
The winner will receive a $40,000 recording contract on the Atoll label, a Winner's Tour in 2018 and other prizes.
