Cha Danbi and Lee Sojeong Win in the 16^th Joongang Musical Concours

Current students Cha Danbi and Lee Sojeong (School of Music) each won the first prizes in cello and clarinet at the 46^th Joongang Musical Concours. Cha Danbi, a third-year student who majors in instrumental music, took the 1^st prize in cello by playing E. Lalo’s “Cello concerto in D minor.”

During the acceptance speech, Cha said she had put much effort into understanding the life of the composer to understand his music in depth, and the jury commented, “Cha’s bold and pompous playing sounded to best express the composer’s intention.” Lee Sojeong, the 1^st prize winner in clarinet, is a fourth-year student majoring in instrumental music. She played L. Spohr’s “Clarinet Concerto No. 3 in F minor.” At the acceptance speech, she said, “I tried not to think about anything but the music I was playing at the moment. I think that is how I could get a positive result.”

The Joongang Musical Concours usually takes place in spring every year except for this year in the aftermath of the COVID-19 outbreak. This July, the Concours conducted a contest in piano, composition, clarinet, cello, and violin while leaving out the violin category.