Finals of the 2nd Hong Kong International Conducting Competition taking place this Sunday

Organised by Hong Kong Sinfonietta, the 2^nd Hong Kong International Conducting Competition has enjoyed its first two rounds of competition spanning three days, and announced Rodolfo Barráez (Venezuela, 29), Mikhail Mering (Israel, 31) and Yao-Yu Wu (Taiwan, 33) as the three Finalists who will compete for the top prizes on 26 Mar (Sun) at Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall.

Barráez is currently the Associate Conductor of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra; Mering is Conductor of the Bolshoi Theatre Chamber Orchestra; and Wu is the Associate Conductor of the Taiwan Philharmonic. This Sunday, they will each conduct local composer Charles Kwong’s new work for orchestra Infinity in the palm specially commissioned for the Competition, as well as a symphony of their choice, selected from three symphonies by Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Schumann. Barráez and Mering will be conducting Schumann’s Symphony No 4, while Wu will be conducting Beethoven’s Symphony No 4. The Finalists will also have to make a short presentation to the audience and introduce the symphony they are conducting.

Every round of the Competition is livestreamed online for free at www.hkconducting.com/live. Tickets to watch the Competition live at Hong Kong City Hall Concert Hall are also available at URBTIX. Voting for the two Audience Prizes (Live & Online audience) is already underway – live audiences can vote in person at the Concert Hall, while online audiences are encouraged to vote at www.hkconducting.com/vote.

The 2^nd Hong Kong International Conducting Competition provides an invaluable platform for young conductors under the age of 35 to establish a network in Asia. The 1^st Prize winner of the Competition will take home HK$200,000 as well as a concert engagement with Hong Kong Sinfonietta, and mentorship opportunities with selected members of the Jury. The Jury is made up of international conductors and people shaping the music business today, including Co-chairs Yip Wing-sie (Music Director Emeritus, Hong Kong Sinfonietta) and Christoph Poppen (Music Director Designate, Hong Kong Sinfonietta), as well as members Lü Shao-Chia (Conductor Emeritus, Taiwan Philharmonic), Thierry d’Argoubet (Former General Manager, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse), Philipp Ernst (Artistic Planning & Deputy Managing Director, Munich Chamber Orchestra – Münchener Kammerorchester), Xenia Groh-Hu (Managing Director, karsten witt musik management), James Cuddeford and Laurent Perrin (Concertmaster and Assistant Principal Cello of Hong Kong Sinfonietta respectively).

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Brief biographies of the Finalists

Rodolfo BARRÁEZ (Venezuela, 29)
- Associate Conductor, Singapore Symphony Orchestra
- Dudamel Conducting Fellow 2022/2023, Los Angeles Philharmonic
- 2nd Prize, Siemens-Hallé International Conductors Competition 2020
- 1st Prize, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México International Conducting Competition 2018
- Conducting Fellow, Verbier Festival 2022
Mikhail MERING (Israel, 31)
- Conductor, Bolshoi Theatre Chamber Orchestra & Bolshoi Theatre Wind Scene Orchestra
- Semi-finalist, Tokyo International Music Competition for Conducting 2021
- Assistant Conductor, Kostroma Symphony Orchestra (2014/2015)
- Clarinettist, Bolshoi Theatre Orchestra
Yao-Yu WU (Taiwan, 33)
- Associate Conductor, Taiwan Philharmonic
- Music Director, Taipei Philharmonic Youth Orchestra
- 1st Prize, Orchestra Award & Audience Award, Besançon International Conducting Competition for Young Conductors 2013
- Conducted the St Petersburg Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National de Lorraine, Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquitaine, etc