Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.
SPO associate conductor takes 3rd place in Mahler Competition
Wilson Ng Courtesy of Peter Adamik
By Park Ji-won
By Park Ji-won
Wilson Ng, associate conductor of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO), came in third place in the Mahler Competition 2020, an international competition for young conductors aged under 35, the orchestra said Tuesday.
In the competition held in Bamberg, Germany, between June 29 and July 5, Ng, a young maestro from Hong Kong, took third place out of 334 applicants, by conducting classical pieces including Gustav Mahler's Symphony No.4 G major and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Symphony No.26 E-flat major K.184.
“I just want to say thank you to Korea, thank you Seoul Phil. I have learnt so much from the orchestra and supported by the Korean audience and the orchestra. Without them, I don't think I can achieve what I have achieved, thank you!” Ng said in a statement.
He will be receiving 5,000 euros as prize money and participating in several events run by the organizer in the future.
The conducting competition was the first live contest to take place amid the coronavirus pandemic, according to the SPO. It has been held every three to four years since 2004.
The flutist-turned-conductor, 30, who has been leading the SPO since January 2019, will conduct the opening performance of the SAC Classical Festival with the SPO on July 28.