To: Arts/Culture/Features Editor
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE5 January 2018
Press Release
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1st Hong Kong International Conducting Competition
will be streamed LIVE
Presented by Hong Kong Sinfonietta, the 1st Hong Kong International Conducting Competition will be held in theHong Kong City Hall Concert Hall from 10 to 14 January 2018. Comprising of three rounds,16 chosen candidates will conduct the Hong Kong Sinfonietta and compete in the Competition for five prizes. For audience members who may not be able to attend this exciting competition, they can go to watch the livestreaming. The feed will be going live on the first day of the competition.
Audience members can alsogo to 10 January, 10am to 14 January, 5:15pm (HK Time) to vote for their favourite conductor. The candidate who gains the largest number of votes will be presented with the Audience Prize.
The repertoire of the competition includes works by Beethoven, Rossini, Brahms, Schumann and more. Featuring Hong Kong’s star pianist Colleen Lee, the semi-finalists will be conducting Chopin’s Piano Concerto No 2 (2nd Movement) and finalists will conduct a new work,November Leonids, composed byHKS Artist Associate, Chan Hing-yan. An invitation will be extended to the candidates to make a short presentation to the audience in the Finals.
An international panel of juries consisting of renowned conductors and professionals in the field, co-chairs Yip Wing-sie(Music Director, Hong Kong Sinfonietta)and Christoph Poppen (Principal Guest Conductor, Hong Kong Sinfonietta), JormaPanula (Director/Professor in Conducting, Panula Academy), Chien Wen-pin (Conductor, Deutsche Oper am Rhein; Executive Artistic Director designée, National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts, Taiwan), Gaetan Le Divelec (Director,Askonas Holt),Gavin Reid (Chief Executive, Scottish Chamber Orchestra),and Lam Wing-tsan (Principal Tuba, Hong Kong Sinfonietta), will select the prizewinners.
Hong Kong Sinfonietta is presenting the 1st Hong Kong International Competition with the aim of providing a platform for young conductors under the age of 35 to establish an international network in Asia.Chosen from 310 applications from 49 countries/regions, the 16 candidates hail from Austria, Chile, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.
The 16 candidates who will compete in Round 1 are:
Vladimir AGACHI (Romania│age: 35)
Victor AVIAT(France│age: 35)
Paolo BORTOLAMEOLLI (Chile/Italy│age: 35)
Joolz GALE (United Kingdom│age: 34)
Marta GARDOLIŃSKA (Poland│age: 29)
Antoine GLATARD(France│age: 33)
Victor JACOB (France│age: 26)
Gabor KALI(Hungary│age: 35)
Sándor Károlyi(Switzerland/Austria│age: 28)
Maciej Kotarba (Poland│age: 26)
Boon Hua LIEN (Singapore│age: 32)
Corinna NIEMEYER (Germany│age: 31)
Gurgen PETROSYAN (Russia│age: 26)
Dawid RUNTZ (Poland│age: 25)
James SHERLOCK (United Kingdom /Ireland│age: 34)
Anton TORBEEV (Russia│age: 32)
The prizes
1stPrize / HK$150,000 + concert engagement with Hong Kong Sinfoniettaand apprenticeship possibilities with Christoph Poppen and Chien Wen-pin in Germany/Taiwan2ndPrize / HK$80,000
3rdPrize / HK$50,000
Audience Prize / HK$10,000
Orchestra Prize / HK$10,000
10 January 2018: Round 1
10am-4:30pm $100
- Beethoven: Egmont Overture, Op 84
- One of the following overtures:
Weber: Der Freischütz Overture
Rossini: The Barber of Seville Overture
11 January 2018: Round 2 – Semi-Finals (Day 1)(a maximum of 8 semi-finalists)
10am-5pm $100
12 January 2018: Round 2 – Semi-Finals (Day 2)
10am-4:30pm $100
- Bartók: Divertimento
- Chopin: Piano Concerto No 2 in F minor, Op 21: II Larghetto(Soloist: Colleen Lee)
- One of the following symphonies:
Beethoven: Symphony No 5 in C minor, Op 67
Brahms: Symphony No 3 in F, Op 90
Schumann: Symphony No 1 in B-flat, Op 38, “Spring”
14 January 2018: Round 3 – Finals (a maximum of 3 finalists)
1:30pm – 6:30pm $200
- Chan Hing-yan (HKS Artist Associate): commissioned workNovember Leonidsfor Orchestra
- One of the following symphonies:
Beethoven: Symphony No 5 in C minor, Op 67
Brahms: Symphony No 3 in F, Op 90
Schumann: Symphony No 1 in B-flat, Op 38, “Spring”
- The finalists will be invited to make a short presentation to the audience.
Venue: Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall
Tickets at URBTIX
Ticketing Enquiries & Booking: 2111 5999
URBTIX Internet Ticketing Service:
For more information, please visit:
Hong Kong Sinfonietta is financially supported by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Hong Kong Sinfonietta is the Venue Partner of the Hong Kong City Hall
With support from:
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Candidates’ Biographies
Vladimir AGACHI | Romania| Born 1982
Having obtained a doctorate in conducting from the National University of Music Bucharest, Agachi has been serving as Conductor to the Young Famous Orchestra in Cluj-Napoca in Romania and Music Director of OrquestaSinfónica Municipal de Piura in Peru since 2014 and 2015 respectively. In addition to studying under renowned conductor Daniel Barenboim at Staatsoper Berlin in 2013, Agachi was also winner of the Seiji Ozawa Fellowship at the 2012 Tanglewood Music Festival and 3rd prize-winner of the 2011International Conducting Competition Jeunesses MusicalesBucharest. He has conducted for major orchestras in Romania and the Romanian National Opera in Cluj.
Victor AVIAT | France| Born 1982
Initially studying the oboe, piano, organ and composition in Paris, Geneva and Zurich and later, conducting at Leipzig University of Music and Drama and Zurich University of the Arts, Aviat’s musical activities range from being the Principal Oboe and Assistant to Iván Fischer at the Budapest Festival Orchestra (2011-2016) to being a Young Conductor in Association at the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra since 2016. A finalist in the Nestlé and Salzburg Festival Young Conductors Award in 2014, Aviat has conducted the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Budapest Festival Orchestra, Orchestre National de Lille, OrchestrePhilharmonique de Luxembourg andOpéra de Lyon.
Paolo BORTOLAMEOLLI | Chile/Italy | Born 1982
Currently serving as Associate Conductor for Los Angeles Philharmonic and recently appointed in 2017 as Guest Conductor in Residence to YAO Orchestra of the Americas, Bortolameolli was formerly trained at the Yale School of Music and Peabody Institute. A Dudamel Fellow for Los Angeles Philharmonic in its 2016/2017 season, Principal Conductor of New Haven Chamber Orchestra in 2012/2013 and Cover Conductor for renowned conductor Marin Alsop of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra in 2014/2015, Bortolameolli has won the Best Opera Conductor Award in 2016 and Chilean Critics Association’s Special Award in 2013. He was also named as one of Chile’s “100 Young Leaders of the Country” in 2007.
Joolz GALE | United Kingdom | Born 1983
Before pursuing a professional conducting career, Gale was a violinist who had read music at the University of Oxford and Royal College of Music. A founding member and Artistic Director of Ensemble Mini, their programmes have been heard at prestigious venues which include the Berlin Philharmonie and Konzerthaus, Budapest Palace of Arts and Auditorio Nacional Madrid. With assistantships with Sir Roger Norrington of Mahler Chamber Orchestra and SWR Symphony Stuttgart and NeemeJärvi and PaavoJärvi of Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, he also founded the Molyvos International Music Festival and was an inaugural apprentice to the Monteverdi Choir under John Eliot Gardiner in 2007. His recent guest-conducting highlights include a return to Bamberg for Die Deutsche Seele with Bamberg Symphony’s Orchestra Academy and Handel’s Messiah in Barcelona’s Palau de la Música live on Medici TV.
Marta GARDOLIŃSKA | Poland | Born 1988
A current Associate Fellow of the Taki Concordia Conducting Fellowship, Gardolińska has conducted the ORF Radio Symphony Orchestra in Vienna, Polish Baltic Frédéric Chopin Philharmonic and Vienna’s Johann-Strauss-Operette. A 3rd prize and Orchestra Prize winner of the Felix Mendelssohn International Conducting Competition in 2016 and Orchestra Prize winner of WitoldLutosławski International Competition for Young Conductors 2016, Gardolińska serves as Principal Conductor of Vienna’s TU Orchestra. She is also a graduate of the prestigious Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw and University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna.
Antoine GLATARD | France | Born 1984
Not only acting as a conductor, but also a musician and composer who graduated from the Royal Conservatory of Brussels, Glatard has made appearances at theLa Bohème at Verbier Festival and OrchestreSymphonie de Mulhouse at Musicales de Colmar Festival. A 2nd prize winner of International Conducting Competition Jeunesses Musicales Bucharest in 2013 and a recent 3rdPrize winner of the 2017The Polycarpe Foundation Competition – The International Opera Conductors Competition, Glatard has been serving as Music Director to Orchestre des Jeunes de l’Orchestre National de Lyon since 2015. His previous appointments include being Assistant Conductor toThéâtre Royal de la Monnaie in its 2014/2015 season, Resident Conductor/Assistant to Leonard Slatkin, Orchestre National de Lyon in its 2015/2016 season and Young Associate Conductor to Opéra de Rouen Normandiein its 2016/2017 season.
Victor JACOB | France | Born 1991
Currently studying at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, Jacob was a graduate of from l’Université Paris-Sorbonne and the Royal Academy of Music in London. A co-founder of Ensemble NouvellesPortées, he has been serving as Assistant Conductor to La Maîtrise de Radio France since 2015. Jacob’s recent highlights include assistantships with Nathalie Stutzmann of Tannhäuser at Opéra Monte-Carlo and Paolo Arrivabeni of Aïda at Chorégiesd’Orange with Orchestre National de France.
Gabor KALI | Hungary | Born 1982
A pianist by training from BartókBélaKonservatorium Budapest, Kali went on to study conducting at Franz Liszt Academy of Music in Budapest and Berlin University of the Arts. A Special Prize winner of National Chamber Music Competition of Hungarian Conservatories and 3rdPrize winner of the Piano Competition of Hungarian Conservatories in 1998, Kali has been serving as Assistant Music Director and Principal Conductor to StaatstheaterNürnbergsince 2015. His guest appearances include conducting the Hungarian State Opera Budapest, Stuttgart Philharmonic andBohuslavMartinů Philharmonic Orchestra with future assistantships toIván Fischer at Konzerthausorchester Berlin and to Christian Thielemann in 2018.
Sándor KÁROLYI | Switzerland/Austria | Born 1989
Before pursuing conducting in Florence and at the Vienna Conservatory and University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna, Károlyi studied the piano, singing, trombone, cello and composition. Having served as Music Director to AkademischesSymphonieOrchester der Wirtschaftuniversität Wien from 2014 to 2016, he was also Assistant to GáborTakács-Nagy at the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra and Manchester Camerata and Orchestre de Dijon-Bourgogne. Other guest conducting appearances include the MAV Symphony Orchestra in Budapest, FilarmonicaDinuLipatti, North CzechPhilharmonic, Collegium MusicumPommersfelden, and operas at Schönbrunn Palace Theatre.
Maciej KOTARBA | Poland | Born 1991
A graduate of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw and Ignacy Jan Paderewski
Academy of Music in Poznań with diverse specializations in conducting, violin and music management, Kotarba was Assistant Conductor to Opole Philharmonic Symphony in 2016 and Sudeten Philharmonic in 2014. Conducting for ensembles that include the State Youth Orchestra of Armenia and the SinfoniettaCracovia, he was a 1stPrize and Special Prize winner of the 2017 AdamKopyciński National Competition for Conducting Students in Wrocław. In 2017, Kotarba made his début with the Warsaw Philharmonic.
Boon Hua LIEN 連汶華| Singapore | Born 1985
Currently pursuing doctoral studies at the renowned Eastman School of Music, Lien was a graduate of the Yong Siew Toh Conservatory of Music in Singapore and University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. A Conducting Fellow of the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra from 2014 to 2016, he was the Winner of the 2015 American Prize in Orchestral Conducting and an Audience Prize winner of the 2016 Aram Khachaturian International Conducting Competition. Lien has been serving as Assistant Conductor of Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice since 2016.
Corinna NIEMEYER | Germany | Born 1986
Having studied at the Conservatories of Music in Karlsruhe, Munich and Shanghai and Zurich University of the Arts, Niemeyer has been serving as Music Director of l‘OrchestreUniversitaire de Strasbourg since 2010 and Chief Conductor of Paris’ l’Orchestre Sorbonne Universités since 2016. With assistantships that includeIván Fischer at Konzerthausorchester Berlin and François-Xavier Roth at the Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra and Cologne Opera, she has made guest conducting appearances with Konzerthausorchester Berlin, Gürzenich Orchestra in Cologne, OrchestrePhilharmonique de Strasbourg, Sinfonieorchester Bern, Osaka Philharmonic, Cologne Opera and Theater Augsburg as well. Prizes won have included a 2ndPrize at Talents Adami Chefs d’Orchestre 2014 in Paris and a 3rd Prize at Tokyo International Conducting Competition in 2015.
Gurgen PETROSYAN | Russia | Born 1991
A winner of the 2012 Choral Conductors Competition dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Saratov State Conservatoire in Russia, Petrosyan was a graduate of the conservatory and of the North-Caucasian College of Culture and Arts. The current Conductor of Engels Chamber Orchestra in Russia, Petrosyan has won prizes that have included a 1stPrize in the Interregional Conducting Competition “Coral Province” in 2014 and Krasnoyarsk International Competition of Academic Choir Conductors in 2015 and was prizewinner of the 2017 NurgisaTlendiev International Conducting Competition in Kazakhstan.
Dawid RUNTZ | Poland | Born 1992
Assistant Conductor of Grand Theatre-National Opera Warsaw since its 2014/2015 season and to Krzysztof Penderecki from its 2017/2018 season, Runtz was a graduate of the Fryderyk Chopin University of Music in Warsaw. His professional conducting highlights include appearances at the 2017 Pacific Music Festival, début with the Warsaw Philharmonic in 2016 and Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2015. A 2nd and Special Prize winner of the 2013 Adam Kopyciński National Competition for Conducting Students in Wrocław and a 2ndPrize Winner of the 2016 WitoldLutosławski International Competition for Young Conductors, he was assistant toRiccardo Muti at his Italian Opera Academy in Ravenna in 2016. In addition to conducting, Runtz is a composer – he was the 1stPrize winner at Warsaw’s Nationwide Competition for Young Composers in 2010 and a prizewinner of the International Young Composers Competition “Euritmia” in Italy in 2011.
James SHERLOCK | United Kingdom/Ireland| Born 1983
Currently pursuing studies at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki, Sherlock is a professional keyboard player who had studied the piano, voice coaching and musicology at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama at Cambridge University (Trinity College), the Georg Solti Accademia and the Franz Schubert Institut. A Guest Principal Keyboard with the London Symphony Orchestra since 2010 and London Philharmonic Orchestra since 2008, Sherlock was an Accompanist Prize winner at the 2014 Royal Over-Seas League Piano Competition and a Pianist prize-winner at the Das Lied International Song Competition in 2015. As a pianist, he has performed in prestigious venues that had included the Berlin Philharmonie, Barbican, Wigmore and Carnegie Hall, collaborating with renowned singers such as Felicity Lott, Thomas Allen and Sarah Connolly. In the 2016/2017 season, he made his professional conducting début with the English Chamber Orchestra and BBC Concert Orchestra.
Anton TORBEEV | Russia | Born 1985
Conductor and Director of the Opera Company, Primorsky Stage of Mariinsky Theatre since 2016, Torbeev has accumulated an extensive repertoire that includes well-known works Eugene Onegin, Carmen, Tosca, La Traviata, The Nutcracker, The Swan Lake and Giselle. A graduate of the Rimsky-Korsakov State Conservatoire in St Petersburg, Torbeev was a recipient of numerous grants and awards – the Solti Foundation Award, St Petersburg Government’s Cultural Fellowship, “Young Talent” Award by the Russian Cultural Foundation Music Director and the Karaganda State Academic Musical Theatre in Kazakhstan in its 2012/2013 season. His guest conducting appearances include the Volgograd and Astana Symphony Orchestras, Romanian Radio Symphony, St Petersburg Opera House and Pacific Music Festival.
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Senior Marketing DevelopmentManager, Hong Kong Sinfonietta
Amanda Mok
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