Junior Tchaikovsky competition to be held in S. Korea next year

By Kim Young-gyo
SEOUL, Dec. 3 (Yonhap) -- An international competition for young classical
musicians is to be held in South Korea next year, the event's preparation
committee said Wednesday.
The International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians (ITCYM) will open
in Suwon, a provincial city about 40 kilometers south of Seoul, on June 17, 2009,
the Korea Steering Committee for ITCYM said at a press briefing.
The competition is the sixth of its kind, preceded by a similar event in Japan's
Kurasaki in 2005.
The competition was inaugurated in 1992 in Moscow as the junior section of the
existing International Tchaikovsky Competition.
The Association of Tchaikovsky Competition Stars recommend first, second and
third prize winners, all under 17, in violin, cello and piano to enter the
International Tchaikovsky Competition. They may do so without going through
preliminary selections.
Renowned musicians, including Sergey Kravchenko, a violinist and professor at
Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Natalia Shahovskaya, chief of the cello department at
the Moscow Conservatory, and Sergei Roldugin, president of St. Petersburg House
of Music, are to be among the judges.
Several South Koreans have won in the past. Jennifer Koh won first prize in the
violin category at the inaugural contest, and pianist Sohn Yeol-eum, violinist
Kwon Hyeok-joo, and cellist Koh In-bong launched their careers after winning
awards at the competition.
Lang Lang, a celebrated young pianist from China, also won a prize at the second
competition held in Sendai, Japan.
Those who wish to participate in the contest must submit their applications and
recordings to the committee by March 31, 2009, officials at the committee said.
ygkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
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