Korean Composer Unsuk Chin Recipient of Prestigious Classical Music Prize

South Korean composer Unsuk Chin has been awarded the 20th Wihuri Sibelius Prize, one of the world’s most prestigious classical music prizes, her orchestra said Tuesday. (Image: Yonhap)

SEOUL, Oct. 10 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korean composer Unsuk Chin has been awarded the 20th Wihuri Sibelius Prize, one of the world’s most prestigious classical music prizes, her orchestra said Tuesday.

Chin became the first Asian composer to receive the Finnish award, according to the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. She has been its composer-in-residence and artistic adviser since 2006.

Since the first Wihuri Sibelius Prize went to Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865~1957) in 1953, many globally acclaimed musicians have received the award. Recipients include Paul Hindemith, Dmitri Shostakovich, Igor Stravinsky, and most recently Harrison Birtwistle.

The award comes with 150,000 euros in prize money.

Chin was already highly respected in the classical music world. In 2004, she won the Grawemeyer Award for composing Violin Concerto. She received the Arnold Schonberg Prize in 2005 and the Music Composition Prize of the Prince Pierre Foundation for Gougalon in 2010.

On Nov. 3, her work “Choros Chordon,” or “Dance of Strings,” will be premiered at the Berlin Philharmonic hall. Later that month, the Berlin Phil will perform it in Korea.

(Yonhap)