The Lotte Foundation announced on July 1 that it has selected 10 finalists and 2 alternates for the 3rd Korea International Organ Competition (IOCK). The finals and the concluding round will take place in February 2027 at the Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul and the Bucheon Art Center.
A total of 31 participants from nine countries, including South Korea, the United States, Germany, France, Russia, the Czech Republic, China, Japan, and New Zealand, applied for the competition. Contestants submitted videos of their performances, which were reviewed by judges to select the finalists. Eligible participants were organists born after February 1, 1997.
The 10 finalists include six South Koreans and one each from the United States, Russia, and France.
The finals and concluding round will be held at the Lotte Concert Hall and Bucheon Art Center, both featuring prominent pipe organs. Participants will showcase their performances tailored to the unique characteristics of each venue's organ.
The final round will assess contestants through recitals and orchestral collaborations, evaluating their musical skills and stage presence. A key criterion will be their understanding and expression of contemporary music. In the preliminary round, participants will perform a new piece titled 'Jabdong-sani #4: Songs Written After Nothing Happened' by composer Lee Ha-neul. The final round will feature an organ concerto by renowned organist and composer Thierry Escaich.
The winner will receive a cash prize of 11 million won, along with the opportunity to hold a solo concert at the Lotte Concert Hall and perform with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. Second and third place will receive cash prizes of 5 million won and 3 million won, respectively.
Judging will be conducted by a panel of world-class organists. Ben van Oosten from the Netherlands will serve as the head judge, joined by Thierry Escaich (France), Rie Hiroe (Japan), Nathan Laube (United States), and Park So-hyun (South Korea).
Launched in 2019, the Korea International Organ Competition is the only international organ competition in the country, aimed at discovering young organists and helping them reach the global stage.
Finalists for the 3rd Korea International Organ Competition:
△ Kang Min-seon (South Korea)
△ Grant Smith (United States)
△ Min Chae-won (South Korea)
△ Anna Spirina (Russia)
△ Andrei Sheiko (Russia)
△ Alexis Grizard (France)
△ Won Su-bin (South Korea)
△ Yoo Soo-hyun (South Korea)
△ Lim Song-yeon (South Korea)
△ Jo Ye-seul (South Korea)
* This article has been translated by AI.
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