Violinist Yang Inmo, First KNIGA Graduate, Conquers the 12^th Jean Sibelius Violin Competition

Violinist Yang Inmo, the first alumnus of the Korea National Institute for the Gifted in Arts (KNIGA), garnered the first prize and the prize for the best performance of commissioned work written by Magnus Lindberg at the 12th Jean Sibelius Violin Competition that was held in the Sibelius Academy R building and Helsinki Music Centre, Finland. Yang Inmo studied under Prof. Kim Namyun in the KNIGA. After he gained popularity after he became the winner of the 2015 Premio Paganini in Italy and earned a nickname, "Inmo-nini."

The winner of the competition, Inmo Yang, received a cash prize of 30,000 euros, a mentoring prize from violinist Pekka Kuusisto and conductor Sakari Oramo, the performances with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra and Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra. In addition, Inmo Yang was rewarded with a loan of a fine violin by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini from Turin dated 1772, kindly loaned by Jane Ng through J & A Beare and the Beare’s International Violin Society. The award was presented by So-Ock Kim of Beares International Violin Society. For the first time in the competition, the winner was also awarded with an NFT trophy by Yle Innovations in cooperation with the violin competition. Also, the Sibelius family awarded Inmo Yang a prize of  2,000 € for the best performance of Magnus Lindberg's commissioned work “Caprice”.

The International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition is one of the oldest and most prestigious violin competitions in the world, since its establishment in 1965 to celebrate the centennial anniversary of the birth of the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. A record 240 violinists applied for the competition this year, 39 of whom participated in the competition. The next International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition will be held in 2025.

Earlier, Yang said, “The K-Arts KNIGA not only taught me practical techniques for playing the violin but made my musical eyes open. The moment I studied in the KNIGA was the most crucial time in my musical life.” 

The Sibelius Competition . In 2005, violinist Shin Zia Hyunsu of School of Music placed the third in the contest.