Composer Jin Un-suk

By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter

The Korea National University of Arts (KNUA) won the grand prize at the Daewon Music Awards held in the Silla Hotel, Seoul, last Wednesday. Along with the grand prize, the award for best composer went to Jin Un-suk, and the best artist and promotion awards to Kang Seung-min, Sung Min-jae and Jang Yu-jin.

The university was praised for its dedication to the music industry and also for nurturing many young musicians who went on to win prizes from various national and international competitions, despite their initial inexperience.

Jin was especially praised for her efforts in the opera ``Alice in Wonderland,'' which was the opening performance at the Munich Opera Festival in June. She also bolstered the country's image with her originality, and the creativity in her work.

The promotion awards went to the young, yet talented musicians cellist Kang Seung-min, bassist Sung Min-jae and soloist Jang Yu-jin. Kang graduated from the university and is currently enrolled in Germany's Hanns Eisler School of Music. She has won many competitions, including the International Johannes Concours and the Gaspar Cassado International Cello Competition.

Sung, a KNUA student, debuted as a Kumho Prodigy and Kumho Young Artist ― programs sponsored by Kumho Cultural Foundation, a major arts organization ― he is currently part of the Kumho Asiana Soloists. Sung also made headlines as the world's youngest and Asia's first winner of the 2006 Johannes Matthias Sperger competition.

Jang was the youngest to lead her fellow students of the School of Music at KNUA in 2006. She also won various prizes at international competitions and performed at the ``Big Concert with Jose Carreras and Shin Young-ok'' in 2003, also with the Budapest Festival Orchestra and at the Korea International Music Festival in 2007.

This year's ceremony was the second of the annual event held in December. The previous winners include renowned conductor Chung Myung-whun and composer Kang Seok-hee.

sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr