Violinist Park Sue-ye wins prestigious Sibelius competition
South Korean violinist Park Sue-ye has won the 13th International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition, one of the most prestigious competitions for the instrument in the world.
Park was announced as the first prize winner of the competition, which took place in Helsinki from May 19 to 29, according to the competition's website Friday.
"I am so happy to have won the competition," she was quoted as saying by her agency, Mok Production.
"It means a lot to me, and I was delighted to be able to communicate through my music to the very end," she said.
Park received a cash prize of 30,000 euros (US$34,000) and was also rewarded with a loan of a violin by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini made in 1777. Minami Yoshida received the second prize, while Claire Wells took third.
The 25-year-old became the second South Korean violinist to win the quinquennial contest founded in 1965 for young violinists under age of 30. In 2022, Yang In-mo won the competition.
Born in 2000, Park began playing the violin at the age of 4 and made her debut at 16 with a recording of Niccolo Paganini's 24 Caprices. In 2021, her album "Journey Through a Century" was selected as the Editor's Choice and among the Recordings of the Year by Gramophone.
In a phone interview with Yonhap News Agency later Friday, Park said winning the competition had not hit her yet.
"I think it will take a few more days before I realize I've won this," Park said. "I have seen other South Koreans win prizes from afar, and I am grateful and honored to win this competition as a Korean."
Park acknowledged that she grew up feeling the weight of expectations as a young prodigy, but she was surprisingly relaxed ahead of the Sibelius competition.
"I told myself I should just go do my thing because I knew how hard I'd prepared for it," Park said. "I wanted to stay focused on my own music."
Park said she picked up violin because she fell in love with the sound of the instrument as a child. After getting her start with a toy violin, Park said her career goal now is to have people keep coming back to her.
"I'd like to become a violinist that people want to hear over and over again, after the end of my performance," she said. "I want to soothe people in ways that words can't and I hope people will feel happy after listening to my music. I want people to say, 'I loved the way you played,' even if they may not be able to express their feelings in exact words." (Yonhap)
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Korea Herald
a day ago
- Korea Herald
Violinist Park Sue-ye wins prestigious Sibelius competition
South Korean violinist Park Sue-ye has won the 13th International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition, one of the most prestigious competitions for the instrument in the world. Park was announced as the first prize winner of the competition, which took place in Helsinki from May 19 to 29, according to the competition's website Friday. "I am so happy to have won the competition," she was quoted as saying by her agency, Mok Production. "It means a lot to me, and I was delighted to be able to communicate through my music to the very end," she said. Park received a cash prize of 30,000 euros (US$34,000) and was also rewarded with a loan of a violin by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini made in 1777. Minami Yoshida received the second prize, while Claire Wells took third. The 25-year-old became the second South Korean violinist to win the quinquennial contest founded in 1965 for young violinists under age of 30. In 2022, Yang In-mo won the competition. Born in 2000, Park began playing the violin at the age of 4 and made her debut at 16 with a recording of Niccolo Paganini's 24 Caprices. In 2021, her album "Journey Through a Century" was selected as the Editor's Choice and among the Recordings of the Year by Gramophone. In a phone interview with Yonhap News Agency later Friday, Park said winning the competition had not hit her yet. "I think it will take a few more days before I realize I've won this," Park said. "I have seen other South Koreans win prizes from afar, and I am grateful and honored to win this competition as a Korean." Park acknowledged that she grew up feeling the weight of expectations as a young prodigy, but she was surprisingly relaxed ahead of the Sibelius competition. "I told myself I should just go do my thing because I knew how hard I'd prepared for it," Park said. "I wanted to stay focused on my own music." Park said she picked up violin because she fell in love with the sound of the instrument as a child. After getting her start with a toy violin, Park said her career goal now is to have people keep coming back to her. "I'd like to become a violinist that people want to hear over and over again, after the end of my performance," she said. "I want to soothe people in ways that words can't and I hope people will feel happy after listening to my music. I want people to say, 'I loved the way you played,' even if they may not be able to express their feelings in exact words." (Yonhap)
Korea Herald
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Park Sueye triumphs at International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition
The 25-year-old becomes second Korean violinist to win, after Yang In-mo's 2022 victory Three years after violinist Yang In-mo became the first Korean to win the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition, fellow Korean virtuoso Park Sueye claimed the top prize at the competition's 13th edition, held in Helsinki on May 29. Founded in 1965 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius' birth, the competition is held every five years and is regarded as one of the most demanding and respected violin competitions in the world. Past winners include legendary figures such as Viktoria Mullova, Leonidas Kavakos and Sergey Khachatryan. Park is the second Korean to win the competition, following Yang In-mo's historic win in 2022. 'I'm incredibly happy to have won the Sibelius Competition,' the 25-year-old said after the announcement. 'It was a meaningful journey, and I'm so grateful that I was able to communicate my music through to the very end. It still feels surreal, but I'm grateful for everyone who rooted for me,' she said. While this is her first major win at an international competition, the young violinist has already carved out a distinct identity in the classical music world, with five critically acclaimed albums to her name. She released her debut recording, 'Paganini: 24 Caprices,' in November 2017 at the age of 16, becoming the youngest artist to record the complete set. In an interview with The Korea Herald in May 2023, Park reflected on her evolving identity as both a performer and educator. She described each of her albums not merely as recordings, but as personal milestones -- markers of growth at different stages in her life and career as well as a testament to her transformative musical journey. 'I'm not sure if I would try to record the complete Paganini again when I turn 35. But to be honest, when I listen to my first album, it's already very different,' she said. Her sixth album, a solo violin recording titled 'Exil!,' is set to be released in July by BIS Records. The album features Bartok's Sonata for Solo Violin, selections from Ysaye's Six Sonatas, and other technically demanding pieces. Two years ago, Park began to take her artistic practice beyond the stage. 'I guess I'm a polymath. I feel slightly happier when performing solo, but I have also changed through meeting many people. I'd also like to play in an ensemble and an orchestra, as well as teach,' Park told The Korea Herald. 'I learn a lot from teaching and performing in an orchestra once in a while. All of these experiences enhance my understanding of music.' A total of 40 violinists participated in the 13th International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition. Following the first and second rounds held from May 19 to May 25, six finalists, including Park, were selected. For the final round, Park performed Oliver Knussen's Violin Concerto Op. 30 with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and Jean Sibelius's Violin Concerto in D minor, Op. 47 with the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra. Her prize includes 30,000 euros ($34,000) in cash, upcoming engagements with Finland's top orchestras, mentorship under violinist Pekka Kuusisto and conductor-violinist John Storgards, and a one-year loan of the 1777 Guadagnini violin 'ex Sasson,' facilitated by Beare's International Violin Society. Second prize was awarded to Minami Yoshida from Japan and third prize to Claire Wells from the United States. This year's jury consisted of seven violinists, including Korea's own Lee Sung-ju and Cho Jin-joo, who served as Kumho Art Hall's artist-in-residence in 2015.
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