國際參賽組別評判
- October 24, 2025
- Posted by: admin
- Category:
國際參賽組別評判
- October 24, 2025
- Posted by: admin
- Category:
Distinguished Jury
For Strings
Jehye Lee was born in Seoul in 1986. She started playing the violin aged 7. She graduated from the Korean National University of Arts before studying for a master’s degree in Boston with Miriam Fried. Lee then moved to Germany to continue her studies at the Kronberg Academy as a pupil of Ana Chumachenko. In 2013 she became the Augsburg Philharmonic Orchestra’s youngest ever concertmaster, and recently she was appointed principal second violin with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Lee has taken first place in the Leopold Mozart Competition in Germany and the Sarasate Competition in Spain. She came third in the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. Lee has appeared as soloist with several European and Asian orchestras and has collaborated with such celebrated conductors as Valeri Gergiev and Myung-whun Chung. As a member of a piano trio, she has also gained a master’s degree in chamber music and performed at chamber music festivals in different parts of Europe. Jehye Lee’s performances at the Kuhmo Chamber Music is in cooperation with the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation.
American violinist Sean Lee is one of few violinists who dare to perform the complete 24 Caprices of Niccolò Paganini in concert. A recipient of Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Career Grant, Lee has captured the attention of audiences worldwide, with performances described by the New York Times as “breathtakingly beautiful”.
Lee’s ongoing educational YouTube series, “Paganini POV”, utilizes modern technology to share a unique perspective on violin playing. In January 2022, Lee and pianist Peter Dugan released selections from Niccolò Paganini’s 24 Caprices as arranged by Robert Schumann, as an EP and video series titled “Paganini X Schumann: 9 Caprices”, after giving the first performance of the complete 24 Caprices in the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s 52-year history.
Lee’s debut album was released by EMI Classics, and reached the iTunes top 20 classical bestsellers list. In 2018, Lee collaborated with pianist Peter Dugan to release a second album, SONGBOOK, featuring songs from all over the world from classical to jazz. As a soloist, Lee has appeared with orchestras including the San Francisco Symphony, Jerusalem Symphony, Israel Camerata Jerusalem, and Utah Symphony, and recital appearances have taken him to Carnegie Hall’s Weill Hall, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Festival di Carro Paganiniano of Italy, and Vienna’s Konzerthaus. A top prizewinner at the “Premio Paganini” International Violin Competition, Lee embraces the legacy of his late mentor, violinist Ruggiero Ricci, who made the first solo recording of the 24 Caprices in 1947.
Lee has collaborated in performances with Itzhak Perlman, Sir James Galway, Deborah Voigt, and members of the Emerson and Guarneri String Quartets. With the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Lee has performed numerous times at Lincoln Center, as well as on tour internationally at venues including the Lobkowicz Palace in Prague, Czech Republic; LG Arts Center in Seoul, Korea; Shanghai Concert Hall in Shanghai, China; and the White Nights Festival in St. Petersburg, Russia. Lee also performed for PBS’s first international production of Live from Lincoln Center, “Odyssey: The Chamber Music Society in Greece”.
Lee currently resides in the Capital Region of New York State. Born in Los Angeles, Lee studied in Southern California with Robert Lipsett of the Colburn Conservatory, and with violin legend Ruggiero Ricci. Moving to New York City at age 17, Lee studied at the Juilliard School with the internationally acclaimed Itzhak Perlman. At the Juilliard School, Lee earned both Bachelor and Master of Music Degrees, and received the William Schuman Prize upon graduation.
Lee performs on violins made by Samuel Zygmuntowicz in 1995 and David Bague in 1999, and a bow made circa 1890 by Joseph Arthur Vigneron.
Violinist Sukyung Ahn is recognized as one of the finest Korean violinists of her generation.
She graduated from the College of Music at Seoul National University and earned both her Master’s degree and Professional Performance Certificate from the Jacobs School of Music at Indiana University. Additionally, she completed doctoral coursework at Seoul National University.
Ms. Ahn has received numerous accolades, including awards from the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Young Artist Competition, Segye Ilbo, Music Review, KCO, Music Association, Kookmin Ilbo, and Hansei University competitions.
She has had the honor of performing at the Blue House and has appeared as a soloist and collaborator with the Seoul Orchestra New Year’s Concert, Ensemble Anusday, Seoul Camerata Orchestra, and the Seongnam City Spring Music Festival.
She served as the principal second violinist of the One Korea Youth Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Myung-whun Chung.
A dedicated educator, Sukyung Ahn currently teaches at Ewha Womans University, Yewon School, Seoul Arts High School, and Sunhwa Arts Middle and High School.
Cellist Ole Akahoshi from Germany enjoys a concert career before audiences in North and South Americas, Asia, and Europe in recitals, chamber music concerts, and as soloist with orchestras, such as the Orchestra of St. Luke’s, Symphonisches Orchester Berlin, and the Czech Radio Orchestra. He has won numerous competitions including Concertino Praga and Jugend Musiziert and is the recipient of the fellowship award from Charlotte White’s Salon de Virtuosi. Mr. Akahoshi has performed in Avery-Fisher-Hall, Benaroya Hall Seattle, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center Washington, Suntory Hall Tokyo, Seoul Arts Center, Beijing National Center for the Performing Arts, Shanghai Concert Hall, Taipei National Concert Hall, Salle Pleyel and Salle Cortot in Paris, Royal Festival and Wigmore Halls in London, Wiener Musikverein, and Berliner Philharmonie. His performances have been featured on CNN, NPR, Sender-Freies-Berlin, RIAS-Berlin, Hessischer Rundfunk, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Korean Broadcasting Station, and WQXR. He has made recordings for the Albany, New World Records, Composers Recording Inc., Calliope, Bridge, Sanga Records, and Naxos labels. Most recent releases include the String Quartet by Behzad Ranjbaran, the Mendelssohn Octet with Gil Shaham, the Solo Partita by Ezra Laderman, and works by Tishchenko and Banshchikov.
He has performed at the Banff Centre for the Arts, Norfolk Chamber Music Festival, Aspen Music Festival, Bowdoin Festival, Mimir Festival, New York Summer Music Festival, Appalachian Summer Festival in Boone NC, Festival des Artes Brazil, and the Great Mountains Music Festival in Korea. He has given numerous master classes, most recently at the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, Sichuan Conservatory in Chengdu, University of Natal Brazil, Korean National University of Arts, Yonsei University, Hanyang University, University of Ulsan, Kyung Hee University, Michigan University, Eastman School of Music, Rice University, New York University, Brooklyn College of Music, Bard College, and Duke University. Mr. Akahoshi has been serving as a judge for competitions such as the Isang Yun International Cello Competition, Aram Khachaturian International Cello Competition, the Harmonium International Cello Competition in Armenia, Juilliard Concerto Competition, and the William Waite Concerto Competition.
Ole Akahoshi was a student of Pierre Fournier. He continued his studies with Aldo Parisot at Juilliard and Yale, and with Janos Starker at Bloomington Indiana. Mr. Akahoshi has served as teaching assistant for both Aldo Parisot and Janos Starker. His other mentors were Georg Donderer and Wolfgang Boettcher.
Ole Akahoshi is Professor of Cello at the Yale School of Music where he is the artistic director of the Yale Cellos. He is also on the faculty at the Manhattan School of Music, the Longy Conservatory in Boston, and the Mannes School of Music The New School. Akahoshi is the principal cellist of the Sejong Soloists in New York and a member of the Horszowski Trio.
Winner of the Philadelphia Orchestra Greenfield Competition, Korean-born cellist Nayoung Baek made her American debut with the Philadelphia Orchestra in 2000. She has appeared as soloist with the Hudson Valley Philharmonic, DuPage Symphony Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic and Korean Chamber Ensemble at major venues, such as the Academy House in Philadelphia and the Rheingau Musik Festival in Frankfurt, Germany. Recent highlights include performances of Dvořák’s Cello Concerto with the Ulsan Symphony Orchestra, Wonju Philharmonic Orchestra and Greenwich Village Orchestra in New York City and Beethoven’s Triple Concerto with the Macau-Hong Kong-Taipei Symphony Orchestra for its New Year’s Concert in Macau, China.
At the age of 15, Baek became the youngest winner in the history of the prestigious Choong Ang Times competition in Korea and also garnered the Virtuoso Prize at the first Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians in Moscow, Russia. Baek was a prizewinner in the Gyeongnam International Competition (in memory of Isang Yun) and won first prize in Hudson Valley Philharmonic Competition and Holland-America Music Society Competition. Her recital appearances have included a New York-debut recital at Weill Hall at Carnegie Hall, presented by the Korea Music Society, and the Dame Myra Hess Concert Series in Chicago. An avid chamber musician, Baek has participated in and performed at the Marlboro Music Festival, Great Lakes Chamber Music Festival, Casals Festival in Prades, Aspen Music Festival and Isaac Stern Seminar in Israel. She has been featured at Carnegie Hall, the Kennedy Center, Salle Gaveau in Paris and Cadogan Hall in London, and on NPR’s “Performance Today.” She has toured twice with Musicians From Marlboro, playing the Mendelssohn Octet and Janáček Quartet.
Baek studied with Orlando Cole at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. She continued her studies at Yale University for her master’s degree and at The Juilliard School for her Artist Diploma with Aldo Parisot, who awarded her the Aldo Parisot Prize at the end of her studies. She completed her Doctor of Musical Arts degree at Stony Brook University, where she studied and performed with Colin Carr. Baek served as an adjunct faculty member at Kean University and is a member of the Sejong Soloists and East Coast Chamber Orchestra.
For Piano
Ilya Itin was the Gold Medallist at the 1996 Leeds International Piano Competition, where he also received the Contemporary Music Award and the BBC Audience Award. Earlier, he won top prizes at the Russian National Rachmaninoff Competition, William Kapell, Casadesus (now Cleveland), Gina Bachauer, and Arthur Rubinstein competitions. He began piano studies at age four, studying under Natalia Litvinova at the Sverdlovsk Music Conservatory for Gifted Children, and later with Lev Naumov at the Moscow Conservatory, graduating with highest honours in 1990. As a soloist, he has performed across Europe, Asia, South America, and the U. S., appearing with major orchestras under such conductors as Sir Simon Rattle, Neeme Järvi, Christoph von Dohnányi, and Mikhail Pletnev. He has also performed chamber music with Igor Gruppman and Ida Haendel at the Miami International Piano Festival. His recordings have received critical acclaim. A sought-after pedagogue, Itin has taught at the Juilliard School, the Peabody Institute, and Musashino Academy in Tokyo. He recently joined the faculty of the Cleveland Institute of Music.
Hailed for his “Apollonian virtuosity and sensitive tone,” multi-award winning pianist-composer Zhen Chen has performed as a soloist and chamber music artist at prominent music venues in USA, Europe and China, such as Stern Auditorium, Weill Recital Hall of Carnegie Hall, David Geffen Hall of Lincoln Center, Preston Bradley Hall of the Chicago Cultural Center, and China National Centre for Performing Arts. His live performances and recordings have been broadcasted by Chicago WFMT 98.7, Princeton WPRB 103.3, WCNY Classic FM, and China Central Television, among others.Mr. Chen has worked with prominent violinists Maxim Vengerov, Cho-Liang Lin, and outstanding instrumentalists of the New York Philharmonic and the Orchestra of Metropolitan Opera in concert and recording engagements. He is an official collaborative pianist of the Shanghai Isaac Stern International Violin Competition (SISIVC) and the International Music Competition Harbin (IMCH). His recording Brahms: The Complete Sonatas for Violin and Piano in collaboration with Elmira Darvarova, former concertmaster of the Orchestra of Metropolitan Opera, has been recently released by German label Solo Musica and distributed by Sony Music and received plaudits from listeners and critics worldwide. Spain classical music magazine RITMO praised this recording as an “exceptional expressive flight to the height of classic interpretations of this [Brahms’] music.”
Mr. Chen wears another hat as a performer-composer who bridges Eastern and Western sensibility and musicality. His cross-culture and cross-genre composition works were crystallized in the albums ERGO: New Music for Piano and Chinese Folk Instruments (Navona/Naxos, 2017) and On & Between: New Music for Pipa and Western Ensembles (Navona/Naxos, 2018). The latter won the Gold Medal of Global Music Awards for Best Show top honor, Best Album, and Best Instrumentalists. As an avid recording artist, Mr. Chen has been a voting member of the Grammys (The Recording Academy) since 2017.
Mr. Chen received a bachelor’s degree in piano performance from Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing and a master’s degree in piano performance under Arkady Aronov at Manhattan School of Music in New York City, where he also earned a master’s degree in collaborative piano and chamber music with Heasook Rhee. He joined the piano and the chamber music faculty of Manhattan School of Music Precollege in 2022 and was inducted into the Steinway & Sons Teacher Hall of Fame in 2023.
Pianist Richard Cionco — praised by Donal Henahan of the New York Times for his “sensitive pianism” has performed as soloist with orchestras, as chamber musician, and as a recitalist on three continents.
A Steinway Artist, Mr. Cionco is a graduate of the University of Maryland and The Juilliard School. Important chamber music performances include those at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, the Festival of New American Music in Sacramento, the Sulzbach-Rosenberg International Music Festival in Germany, the Schlern International Music Festival in Italy, and at the Orfeo Music Festival in Italy.
He has performed in recital in nearly every major U.S. city and his performances of Liszt’s complete 12 Transcendental Etudes have brought him rave reviews. Recently, he performed at New Mexico State University, the University of New Mexico, Kent State University, Florida State University, University of Alberta in Canada, Stetson University, Pensacola State University, the University of Florida, San Jose State University, the Chicago College of Performing Arts, the Great Music in Scarborough Series in New York, the University of Nevada Las Vegas, University of Nevada Reno, Tulane University in New Orleans, in Anchorage, AK, and dozens more. Other important solo performances include twice at Carnegie Hall, the Chicago Cultural Center, and at the Phillips Collection in Washington, D.C.
Mr. Cionco has recorded solo and chamber music by Daniel Kingman for innova records and his first solo CD, Latin American Music for Solo Piano, on the Centaur Records label has received rave reviews, notably by the American Record Guide. For 15 years he has served on the artist faculty of the Orfeo International Music Festival and Competition in Northern Italy and he has performed solo recitals at the Samsø Piano Festival in Denmark five years in a row. He has given master classes, lectures, recitals and has served as adjudicator in China and Hong Kong a dozen times, and his concerto performances have taken him throughout the U.S. and to Japan, Taiwan, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. In 2012, he released a solo CD of Beethoven’s late piano music, and a CD of music by American composer, Sunny Knable — both on the Centaur label. His Latin American piano music CD, also on Centaur, has garnered much acclaim.
Mr. Cionco was a Teaching Fellow for David Dubal at The Juilliard School for four years and is presently Professor of Piano at California State University, Sacramento where he teaches, performs, and composes. He also enjoys running competitively and cooking, as well as hiking far and wide.
An internationally acclaimed pianist, educator and ambassador for the arts, Michelle Kim has performed in concert halls throughout the US, Europe and Asia including performances at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Caramoor, New Jersey Performing Art Center, Sejong Cultural Center, Hong Kong Cultural Center, LACMA and Chicago Cultural Center, among others. She has performed as soloist with numerous orchestras across the world including the New Jersey Symphony, the Brevard Music Festival Orchestra, the Seoul Philharmonic, the Xiamen Philharmonic, the Bergen Philharmonic, Bangor Symphony, Ridgefield Symphony, Reading Symphony Brooklyn Symphony, the Orchestra del Teatro Massimo di Catania, and many others. Her performances have been televised in the US, Europe and South Korea and broadcast on radio stations throughout the US and abroad.
An advocate for young artists and disadvantaged youth, Michelle is motivated by a profound belief in music’s power to transform lives. In 2009, she founded Hong Kong Generation Next Arts (HKGNA), a Hong Kong Charity dedicated to nurturing artistic excellence and personal success in young artists and changing lives through music. In 2011, she was awarded ‘a Hong Kong & Shenzhen Lifestyle Award’ by the Southern Metropolis Daily for being an ambassador for culture and performing arts and promoting youth development in Hong Kong. Featured as one of the “Inspiring Women of Hong Kong” in the October 2013 Anniversary Issue of Marie Claire, she has performed numerous concerts to raise money for Hong Kong Charities including performances with violinist Lu Siqing at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre and “Concert of Power” with renowned evangelist and motivational speaker, Nick Vujicic. Michelle was invited to speak at TEDxWanchai and shared a talk “Finding the True Gift of Music.” She was also invited by Humanitarian Affairs, UK, in partnership with the Hong Kong Government to speak at the 6th University Scholars Leadership Symposium, which was attended by over 700 student leaders representing 69 different countries. Recently, Ms. Kim received the 2020 Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award from the South Korean Government for her dedication and contribution to Korean classical music abroad and enhancement of the reputation of Korea.
Born in Seoul Korea, Ms. Kim began her musical training at age four. At age ten, she gave her orchestral debut with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. She went on to graduate from The Juilliard School earning both a Bachelors and Masters of Music. She was also the recipient of the prestigious Arthur Rubinstein Award and garnered top prizes in numerous international competitions.
Pianist Soojin Chun is an artist who elevates her craft through an unwavering spirit of exploration within the realm of music. At the forefront of her artistic endeavors is the illustrious YouTube channel “Piano Doctor SYAP,” boasting a substantial following of over 30,000 subscribers. Demonstrating her commitment to advancing piano techniques, she authored two groundbreaking technique exercises: “Soojin Chun Piano Practice: Scale” in 2021 and its successor, “Soojin Chun Piano Practice: Arpeggio,” released in 2022.
Professor Robert McDonald of the Curtis Institute of Music and the Juilliard School, and Professor Yong Hi Moon of the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University, have lauded her textbooks as “Excellent Technology Textbooks” and a guide to “systematic and efficient practice methods,” respectively.
Ms Chun’s musical journey began at Yewon School, where she entered as the top student, quickly garnering attention with top rankings in prestigious competitions, including the Eumyeon Competition, Chosun Ilbo Competition, Ewha and Kyunghyang Competition, Music Teacher’s National Association Competition, and YAMAHA Competition. Shecontinued her bachelor’s degree at the Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University, where she earned acclaim as a master class selection of Leon Fleisher’s Honor Student of the Year, praised for her ability to create magical tonal variations through her exceptional techniques.
As a soloist, Ms Chun has graced special regular concerts, collaborating with esteemed orchestras such as the Korean Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Metropolitan Orchestra, and the Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra. Notable performances include her soloist role at the Korea-China Union Orchestra and Yeosu GS Caltex Yeulmaru Opening Concert in 2012, commemorating the 20th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and China.
Ms Chun’s global presence extends to renowned institutions and festivals around the world. She has been invited to perform as a featured distinguished artist at prestigious recitals hosted by the Goethe Institute, Kumho Young Artist’s Recital, Kumho Art Hall, and Seoul Arts Center. She has also performed with the Isang Yun Ensemble at the Tongyeong International Music Festival and the Kennedy Center Chamber Music Festival. Her international engagements include performances and teaching roles at major festivals such as the Bowdoin Summer Music Festival, the Aspen Summer Music Festival, the Michigan Blue Lake Summer Music Festival, and the Courchevel Music Alp Summer Festival in France. She was also invited to the Talent Summer Music Festival in Brescia, Italy, where she appeared as a featured distinguished artist and faculty member. As a consultant for the Asia-Pacific Chopin International Competition, she continues to contribute to the global music community.
Ms Chun completed both her master’s and doctoral degrees as the top graduate from the Graduate School of Music at Seoul National University and went on to serve for 17 years as a full professor at one of Seoul’s leading universities, where she profoundly shaped generations of pianists through her dedicated mentorship and rigorous musical training. Today, she is the founder of Dream Nexus Music, an innovative platform that bridges emerging musicians with the world of new music, offering comprehensive education, abundant performance opportunities, and a vibrant artistic community. Under Dream Nexus Music, she also leads the Academic Piano Group, Piano Doctor SYAP, as its chief operator and director, further advancing piano education, academic research, and collaborative artistic initiatives that contribute to the ongoing growth of the international music community.
Pianist Zhang Yue currently serves as Assistant Professor of Piano and Keyboard Division at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (Shenzhen) School of Music. His performances have graced prestigious venues worldwide, including Carnegie Hall in New York and the Wiener Konzerthaus in Vienna. As a soloist, he has collaborated with renowned orchestras such as the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra and the Shenzhen Symphony Orchestra.
Pianist Dang Thai Son praised him “This young, gifted pianist possesses the highest level of professionalism, culture, noble taste and artistry”. Mr. Zhang has been invited to perform at esteemed music festivals including the Beijing Modern Music Festival, the HKGNA, and Piano Texas, etc. His recordings albums are globally released by the Spanish label KNS Classical and the Italian label Movimento Production.
An acclaimed prize-winner, Zhang Yue clinched the top prize at the Chautauqua International Piano Competition in New York, won grand prize at the 2nd Hong Kong New Generation Music Competition, and was a recipient of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government Talent Development Award.
His mentors include Gabriel Kwok and Dang Thai Son. He earned his Doctor of Music degree from the University of Montreal.