The Kumho Cultural Foundation announced on July 17 that Yubin Ahn (24) and Yebin Seo (24), both clarinetists and alumni of the Kumho Young Artist program, won first and second place, respectively, in the clarinet division of the 2025 Cluj International Music Competition, which concluded on July 11, local time, in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Yubin Ahn received a first prize of 16,500 Romanian lei (approximately 5.24 million KRW) and, as an additional award, a Buffet Crampon instrument voucher worth 5,000 euros (approximately 8.08 million KRW). She also secured performance opportunities with orchestras such as the Transylvania State Philharmonic and the Dinu Lipatti State Philharmonic during the 2025?2026 season. Yebin Seo was awarded a second prize of 11,000 lei (approximately 3.49 million KRW), a Buffet Crampon instrument voucher worth 4,000 euros (approximately 6.46 million KRW), and a performance opportunity with the Arad State Philharmonic.
The Cluj International Music Competition is the successor to the George Dima International Music Competition, which began in 1984. The George Dima Competition was held 12 times before a hiatus, after which it was reorganized in 2011 as a wind instrument competition held biennially. The competition was renamed the Cluj International Music Competition in 2019 and currently features two categories: flute and clarinet.
Previous Korean laureates in the clarinet division include Kumho Young Artist alumnus Geukchan Lee, who shared second place in 2023 (no first prize was awarded that year). In other divisions, Kumho Young Artist alumnus Yechang Jung (first prize, 2013, oboe), Kumho Young Artist alumnus Jaea Yoo (second prize, 2015, no first prize awarded, flute), Kumho Young Artist alumnus Songyun Yoo (shared third prize, 2019, flute), and Heewon Han (fifth prize, 2021, flute) have also been recognized.
This year’s competition was open to young musicians aged 34 and under. Through a preliminary video screening, 104 clarinetists advanced to the main rounds. After two rounds of competition held from July 6 to 9, three finalists were selected. On July 11, these finalists performed Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto with the Transylvania State Philharmonic at the Cluj-Napoca Auditorium. Following Yubin Ahn and Yebin Seo, Antoine Pastor (France) took third place.
Yubin Ahn made her debut at the Kumho Young Artist Concert in 2015 and further distinguished herself at the Kumho Young Artist Concert in 2018. At age 13, she won the Grand Prize at the Tallinn International Competition in Estonia. In the same year, she took first place and two special prizes at the Osaka International Music Competition. She continued her international achievements with first prize at the 2024 Iasi International Clarinet Competition in Romania and second prize at the 2025 Sava Dimitrov International Clarinet Competition in Bulgaria. Domestically, she has swept first prizes at major competitions, including the Seoul National University Wind Alumni Competition, Ewha Kyunghyang Music Competition, and Sungjung Music Competition. Yubin Ahn studied under Dongjin Kim, Florent H?au, Nicolas Baldeyrou, and Franck Amet. She graduated from Yewon School, Seoul Arts High School, and the Conservatoire National Sup?rieur de Musique et de Danse de Lyon (CNSMDL) with a bachelor’s degree and is currently pursuing her master’s degree at the same institution. She has performed as a guest member of the Lyon National Opera Orchestra and will serve as guest principal clarinetist with the Kuopio Symphony Orchestra in Finland for the 2025?2026 season.
Yebin Seo made her debut at the Kumho Young Artist Concert in 2016, held a solo recital at the Kumho Young Artist Concert in 2019, and appeared with the Prima Quintet at the Kumho Young Chamber Concert in 2022. In 2024, she placed third at the Ghent International Clarinet Competition, won first prize at the Dong-A Music Competition, received the Grand Prize at the Sungjung Music Competition, and took the Silver Prize at the KBS KEPCO Music Competition. She also won the K-Arts Audition at the Korea National University of Arts, the Grand Prize at the HDC Young Chang Competition, and first prizes at the Umyeon Competition, Hanye Music Competition, and other prestigious events. Yebin Seo graduated from Yewon School and Seoul Arts High School, completed the Korea National Institute for the Gifted in Arts program, studied under Minjo Kim and Jaeil Chae, and graduated from the Korea National University of Arts. She is currently studying under Philippe Berrod at the Conservatoire National Sup?rieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
