School of Music’s Lee Hanuri and Kim Shin Take 1st and 2nd at Bartók World Competition

At the Bartók World Competition on November 23, 2024, Lee Hanuri, a current student, and Kim Shin, an alumnus, both majoring in composition at the School of Music, took first and second place, respectively.

At the award gala concert held at Solti Hall of the Liszt Academy, pianist and judge József Balog led the presentation of Lee's and Kim’s performances. Lee Hanuri won the 1st prize of €5,000 (approximately 7.32 million KRW) with her piano piece Vertigineux (Vertiginous). Kim Shin earned the 2nd prize of €3,000 (approximately 4.4 million KRW).

Additionally, Lee Hanuri and Mátyás Papp, the third-place winner, were awarded special prizes by Editio Musica. Meanwhile, Kim Shin received a special prize from the Sonus Foundation in Hungary, which includes participation in the FOCUS on You mentoring program. The winners’ works will be published and featured in the repertoire for the Bartók International Piano Competition.

Lee Hanuri is an emerging star in Korea's contemporary music scene, having gained national recognition as the youngest winner of the Joongang Music Concours. In 2022, Kim Shin triumphed in the George Enescu International Competition and the Geneva International Music Competition, marking significant milestones in his career. Kim is currently pursuing his master’s degree at the Royal Academy of Music in London.

The Bartók World Competition, a member of the World Federation of International Music Competitions, is a biennial event held since 2017. It includes categories for piano, violin, and string quartet, and is especially renowned in the composition category for its distinguished jury. This year, the jury chair was Thomas Adès, the celebrated UK composer. Previous judges have included Shin Unsuk, Péter Eötvös, and others.