Three Koreans Advance to Queen Elizabeth Competition Semifinals

Three Korean violinists have advanced to the semifinals of the "Queen Elisabeth International Competition," considered one of the world's top three classical music contests.

According to the competition's official website on the 12th (local time), Korean musicians Yuda Yoon, Ana Im, and Choi Songha were included among the 24 semifinalists competing in Brussels, Belgium, starting on the 13th. Choi Songha is the younger sibling of Choi Hayoung, who won the cello category in 2022.

Korean Finalists in the Queen Elizabeth International Competition Semifinals
Korean violinists Songha Choi, Ana Lim, and Dayoon Yoo (from left) who advanced to the semifinals of this year's Queen Elizabeth International Competition.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

The 24 semifinalists will each perform twice between the 13th and 18th, and 12 selected from them will advance to the finals, which will be held from the 27th of this month to the 1st of next month.

Founded in 1937, the Queen Elisabeth International Competition is known as a gateway for young musicians. The competition alternates annually among vocal, violin, piano, and cello categories, with this year featuring the violin contest.

Alongside Poland's Chopin Piano Competition and Russia's Tchaikovsky Competition, it is regarded as one of the world's three major music competitions. The winner receives a prize of 25,000 euros (approximately 35 million KRW) from the Belgian royal family.