[Asia Economy Reporter Byunghee Park] Wilson Ng, assistant conductor of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, won 3rd place at the 2020 Mahler International Conducting Competition.
The Mahler International Conducting Competition is a UNESCO-endorsed competition under the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC), started in 2004 under the auspices of the Bamberg Symphony in Germany. The competition was held every three years, but the 6th competition was held after four years since 2016. The next competition is scheduled to be held again in three years, in 2023.
This competition attracted attention as the first major international competition held live after the COVID-19 pandemic. The Mahler International Conducting Competition, open to young conductors under the age of 35, took place from June 29 to July 5 in Bamberg, Germany. A total of 334 applicants from around the world applied, and 16 were granted the right to participate in the competition held locally in Bamberg.
Wilson Ng was one of the three finalists who reached the final stage and conducted Mahler's Symphony No. 4, among other pieces. Jakub Hr??a, chief conductor of the Bamberg Symphony, served as the head judge, with Marina Mahler, granddaughter of Mahler, among the jury members. The competition was broadcast live on Facebook and YouTube. Assistant conductor Wilson Ng received a prize of 5,000 euros.
Wilson Ng has been serving as assistant conductor of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra since last year. He is also the music director and principal conductor of the Gustav Mahler Orchestra, which he founded.
Born in Hong Kong in 1989, Wilson Ng began learning the flute at age 11 and studied in Paris and Lausanne. He worked as guest principal flute at the Lyon National Opera and later switched to conducting, studying at the Berlin University of the Arts and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He won the Paris Svetlanov International Conducting Competition, the 8th Georg Solti International Conducting Competition in Frankfurt in 2017, and the James Conlon Conductor Award at the Aspen Music Festival in 2016.
Wilson Ng said, "I have learned and grown a lot during my time with the Seoul Philharmonic. Without the support of the Korean audience and the Seoul Philharmonic, I would not have been able to achieve this award. I want to express my gratitude to Korea and the Seoul Philharmonic." Wilson Ng is scheduled to appear on the opening stage of the '2020 Symphony Festival' at the Seoul Arts Center on the 28th with the Seoul Philharmonic.
The Mahler International Conducting Competition has established itself as a major conducting competition, producing star conductors such as Seong Si-yeon (former assistant conductor of the Seoul Philharmonic and principal conductor of the Gyeonggi Philharmonic, 2nd place without 1st in the 2nd competition in 2007), Gustavo Dudamel (music director of the LA Philharmonic, 1st place in the 1st competition in 2004), Lahav Shani (principal conductor of the Rotterdam Philharmonic, 1st place in the 4th competition in 2013), and G?bor Wong (music director of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra, 1st place in the 5th competition in 2016).
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