Lee Hanurij wins composition prize at Geneva Competition
Lee, 20, also swept all six special prizes, including the Audience Prize and the Student Prize.
South Korean composer Lee Hanurij won the composition category at the Geneva Competition on Wednesday, South Korea's national news agency Yonhap reported.
The 20-year-old took the top honor with his piece "Stuff #1" in the final round of the music contest in Geneva, the competition's website said.
Lee also collected all six special prizes, among them the Audience Prize, the Young Audience Prize and the Student Prize.
Lee described the award as a "big honor" and thanked the jury for the recognition.
Lee said the Geneva Competition stands out because it gives composers a favorable setting in which to develop their work.
He is currently studying at the Korea National University of Arts, and at age 10 he studied composition at an academy for young music prodigies linked to the Seoul Arts Center.
In 2024, Lee won first prize in composition at the Bartok World Competition, and his works have since been performed at numerous classical music festivals.
The Geneva Competition, a prestigious music contest, was established in 1939 and holds its composition round every two years.
The Bartok World Competition is named after Hungarian composer Bela Bartok, a figure widely regarded as one of the major composers of the 20th century.
