Kim Sae-am wins 1st prize in composition competition
By Kwon Ji-youn
Kim Sae-am
Kim Sae-am, 26, won the international composition section at the Pablo Casals Festival of Prades, southern France, Saturday, with her composition “The Dance of Death” for flute, clarinet, violin and cello. Kim won 12,000 euros (17.7 million won) in prize money.
This was the fifth competition to be held by the festival, and was judged by fellow performers and composers.
The festival started in Prades in 1950 in celebration of virtuoso cellist Pablo Casals, who lived in the southern French city.
The competition for composers was set up by the festival organizers for talented artists below the age of 40. Compositions have to be for trios to sextets and be approximately 15 minutes long.
The festival aims at promoting new talent and supporting new trends; more than 500 composers have submitted pieces.
Kim’s composition was performed as a world premiere, and will also be presented at other festivals.
“I want to extend my congratulations to Kim,” said Seoul National University (SNU) graduate school junior peer Yoo Woong-jae. “I’m very envious, and I wish her all the best as an international composer.”
Kim studied composition at SNU, and is currently attending its graduate school.