For immediate release
16 Sep 2022

Following the triumph of the first edition in 2018, Hong Kong Sinfonietta is pleased to announce the 2^nd Hong Kong International Conducting Competition, taking place on 22-26 March 2023 at Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall. Featuring an international Jury made up of conductors and people shaping the music business today, the Competition provides a platform for young conductors under the age of 35 to establish a network in Asia, with the top prize-winner taking home HK$200,000 as well as a concert engagement with Hong Kong Sinfonietta in the 2023/2024 season, and mentorship opportunities with selected members of the Jury. Applications are now open until 25 Oct 2022.

Yip Wing-sie, Music Director Emeritus of Hong Kong Sinfonietta, shares the position of Co-chair of the Jury with Principal Guest Conductor Christoph Poppen. Other members of the Jury include Lü Shao-Chia (Conductor Emeritus, Taiwan Philharmonic), Thierry d’Argoubet (Former General Manager, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse), Philipp Ernst (Artistic Planning & Deputy Managing Director, Munich Chamber Orchestra – Münchener Kammerorchester), Xenia Groh-Hu (Managing Director, karsten witt musik management), as well as James Cuddeford and Laurent Perrin (Concertmaster and Assistant Principal Cello respectively) of Hong Kong Sinfonietta.

The Competition comprises of three rounds which will be livestreamed globally, with Hong Kong Sinfonietta as the official orchestra throughout. After the Preliminary Selection stage, a maximum of 16 candidates will be invited to Hong Kong to take part in Round 1 of the Competition. A maximum of 8 candidates will be selected for the Semi-Finals, and a maximum of 3 candidates will go through to the Finals. Ticketing details will be announced in due course.

The inaugural Hong Kong International Conducting Competition successfully took place in 2018, attracting 310 applications from 49 countries/regions, with Hungarian conductor Gabor Kali winning the 1^st Prize and Orchestra Prize.

 

Prizes

Six prizes will be awarded at the 2^nd Hong Kong International Conducting Competition:

1st Prize: HK$200,000
                      Concert engagement with Hong Kong Sinfonietta during 2023/2024 season
                      Mentorship with conductor(s) from the Jury

2nd Prize: HK$100,000

3rd Prize: HK$70,000

Orchestra Prize: HK$10,000

Audience Prizes: HK$10,000 each for Live & Online Audiences

 

Repertoire

Round 1 (a maximum of 16 candidates)

1. Stravinsky – Concerto in D for String Orchestra: 1^st movement
2. One of the following works, determined by a draw:
   • Beethoven – Leonore Overture No 3, Op 72b
   • Mozart – Symphony No 39 in E-flat, K543: 1^st movement

Round 2 – Semi-Finals (a maximum of 8 candidates)

1. Sibelius – Violin Concerto in D minor, Op 47: 1^st movement
2. Johann Strauss Jr – Die Fledermaus Overture
3. One of the following symphonies, determined by a draw:
   • Brahms – Symphony No 1 in C minor, Op 68
   • Beethoven – Symphony No 3 in E-flat, Op 55, “Eroica”
   • Tchaikovsky – Symphony No 6 in B minor, Op 74, “Pathétique”

Round 3 – Finals (a maximum of 3 finalists)

1. New work by Charles Kwong (HKS Artist Associate 2020-2022)
2. One of the following works, chosen by the candidate:
   • Beethoven – Symphony No 4 in B-flat, Op 60
   • Mendelssohn – Symphony No 4 in A, Op 90, “Italian”
   • Schumann – Symphony No 4 in D minor, Op 120
3. The finalists will also be invited to make a short presentation to the audience

 

For more information and to apply for the Competition, please visit www.hkconducting.com

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Hong Kong Sinfonietta
Music Director Emeritus: Yip Wing-sie
Principal Guest Conductor: Christoph Poppen

One of Hong Kong’s flagship orchestras, Hong Kong Sinfonietta has brought music closer to the community, and achieved significant local and international recognition for its passionate performances and innovative programming. Since 1999, Hong Kong Sinfonietta has collaborated with an illustrious array of international musicians and groups, including in recent years Ilya Gringolts, Martin Helmchen, Sergei Nakariakov, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Krzysztof Penderecki, The Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet and Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch.

The orchestra is a regular guest at international arts festivals and has toured 41 cities around the world. As an avid believer of keeping music alive and contemporary, Hong Kong Sinfonietta commissions and performs new works every year and ventures into new initiatives, recently receiving wide acclaim for its Back On Stage concert film series, as well as the Tiny Galaxy Concerts online series featuring performances recorded at a fascinating hostel in Hong Kong. In 2021, the orchestra co-curated the “Life is Art” film festival with MOViE MOViE, while continuing to break down barriers between music and audience with free chamber concerts held regularly at Hong Kong City Hall.

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