Cellist Hannah Kim took second place at the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition, one of the world's leading classical music contests.
Kim finished second in the cello category at a competition held at the Bozar concert hall in Brussels, Belgium, on Saturday (local time). Italian cellist Ettore Pagano won first prize. Kim is the first Korean cellist to win a major prize at the competition since Choi Ha-young captured first place in 2022, and the first Korean classical musician to medal since baritone Kim Tae-han's victory in 2023.
Kim performed last among the 12 finalists. Accompanied by the Belgian National Orchestra under conductor Antony Hermus, she received a standing ovation for her performance of contemporary works by Chinese-American composer Fang Man and Polish composer Witold Lutosławski's cello concerto. Although Kim was the youngest among this year's finalists, her energetic performance captivated the audience. Kim previously won first prize at the Witold Lutosławski International Cello Competition held in Warsaw, Poland in May 2024.
Founded in 1937, the Queen Elisabeth Competition is considered a gateway for young musicians and ranks among the world's three most prestigious music competitions, alongside Poland's Chopin Piano Competition and Russia's Tchaikovsky Competition.
