Cellist Choi Hayoung, a KNIGA Alumna, Takes the 1^st in Queen Elisabeth Competition

Cellist Choi Hayoung, who studied at the Korea National Institute for the Gifted in Arts (KNIGA), became the first Korean cellist to become the 1st prize winner of the Queen Elisabeth Competition that ended on 5 June in Brussel, Belgium. It is the second accomplishment by a K-Arts student after the win by violinist Lim Jiyoung (School of Music) in 2015, the first win in violin for a musician from Korea.

Choi made her debut through the 2006 Kumho Prodigy Concert after studying in the K-Arts preparatory school and the KNIGA. Taking the first in the International Johannes Brahms Competition in 2011 as the youngest performer and the Krzysztof Penderecki Competition in 2018, she garnered attention internationally.

The Queen Elisabeth Competition, founded in 1937, is one of the big three international music competitions, including the Chopin International Piano Competition and the International Tchaikovsky Competition. The K-Arts has produced a number of award winners in Queen Elisabeth up to date, including Jeon Minjae (1st place in composition 2009), Kim Taehyung and Kim Dasol (5th & 6th places in piano 2010), soprano Hong Haeran (1st place in voice 2011), and Lim Jiyoung (1st place in violin 2015).

ⓒQueen Elisabeth Competition