Kim Daejin and Lee Jinsang of the School of Music Take Leading Roles in the Isangyun Competition

Professors Kim Daejin and Lee Jinsang of the School of Music are taking part in the Isangyun Competition as conductor and jury member, respectively. This year, the competition runs from October 31 through November 8 at the Tongyeong Concert Hall.

Professor Kim will conduct the Tongyeong Festival Orchestra in the final stage at 3 p.m. on November 7. Finalists will perform one of the following works: Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37 or Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58; Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15; Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, Op. 26; Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43; Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor, Op. 54; or Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23.

Professor Lee serves on the nine-member jury alongside Jury Chair Klaus Hellwig. The panel also includes Arnaldo Cohen, Katsunori Ishii, David Mareček, Julian Martin, Xiaohan Wang, Peter von Wienhardt, and Dasol Kim.

This year’s competition attracted 215 applicants from 21 countries – making it the most competitive in its history – with 23 musicians advancing to the live rounds. The First Round takes place from November 1 to 2, followed by the Second Round from November 4 to 5. Prizes will be awarded to the top four finishers, along with the Isangyun Special Prize and the Seong-Yawng Park Special Prize. The total prize fund is 74 million KRW, and the Winners’ Concert will be held at Busan Concert Hall at 3 p.m. on November 8.

Established in 2003, the Isangyun International Music Competition honors the renowned Korean composer Isang Yun. Held annually around November 3, the anniversary of Yun’s passing, the competition alternates among cello, piano, and violin. A member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions since 2006, it has helped discover exceptional artists, including pianist Lim Yunchan, who won in 2019.