South Korean conductor Yoon Han-kyeol won the Herbert von Karajan Young Conductors Award, one of the most prestigious prizes for young conductors, in Salzburg, Austria, on Sunday.
The jury named the 29-year-old the winner of the Karajan Young Conductors Award during a ceremony at the main auditorium of the Mozarteum Foundation.
In the final round, Yoon conducted an hourlong program, which included Gioachino Rossini's "Overture from Il barbiere di Siviglia"; Mozart's "Ah se in ciel, benigne stelle" aria for soprano and orchestra, K. 538; Shin Dong-hoon's "Of Rats and Men"; and Mendelssohn's "Symphony No. 3 A minor op. 56."
The Herbert von Karajan Young Conductors Awards is open to conductors who are older than 21 and younger than 35 and takes place every two years.
It is an initiative of the Salzburg Festival in cooperation with the Eliette and Herbert von Karajan Institute and is dedicated to the renowned Austrian conductor, who took the baton of the Berlin Philharmonic from 1956 to 1989.
The laureate will receive a cash award of 15,000 euros (US$16,513) and the opportunity to conduct a concert with the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra Vienna and a rising young soloist as part of the 2024 Salzburg Festival.
Born in the southeastern city of Daegu, Yoon studied conducting, composition and piano at the University of Music and Performing Arts Munich in Germany.
He was the youngest ever recipient of the Neeme Jarvi Prize at the 2019 Gstaad Menuhin Festival and received conducting invitations from the Basel Chamber Orchestra and the Basel and Bern Symphony Orchestras.
In the 2022/23 season, Yoon made his debuts with the Bern Symphony Orchestra and the Busan Philharmonic Orchestra and assisted renowned conductor Simon Rattle for the European tour of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra.
"I have been following this competition, named after one of the most important conductors in history and presented by one of the most renowned festivals in the world, for a long time," Yoon said in an interview with the Salzburg Festival ahead of the final concert.
"For many years, it has been my goal to participate some day. The list of candidates and winners illustrates its high standard."
Source: Yonhap News Agency