KB News Desk
South Korean composer and Chung-Ang University alumnus Choi Jae-hyeok has become the first Korean to win first prize at the Toru Takemitsu Composition Award, the university said Wednesday.
Choi took the top prize for his orchestral work “Supernova,” which was performed at the competition’s final concert at Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall on July 12.
The Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra performed the work under conductor Yoichi Sugiyama. German composer and clarinetist Jorg Widmann, who served as the competition’s sole judge this year, selected Choi as the winner.
A total of 112 works from 25 countries were submitted, with four selected for the final round. Choi received a cash prize of 1 million yen ($6,140).
According to the university, “Supernova” depicts the explosion of a star and the emergence of new life in its aftermath, contrasting explosive orchestral passages with moments of silence and sounds intended to evoke living forms.
Choi earned a bachelor’s degree in music from Chung-Ang University in 2023 and completed his master’s coursework there in 2025.
“Composition is a solitary process in which one must constantly question oneself and endure uncertainty, but I was able to come this far because of the teachers, family and friends who believed in me,” Choi said.
He said he would regard the award as a new starting point and continue developing his work as a composer.
The annual award, organized by the Tokyo Opera City Cultural Foundation, is an international orchestral composition competition for younger composers. Unlike competitions judged by a panel, it appoints one prominent composer each year to select the finalists and determine the prize winners.
Previous judges have included Henri Dutilleux, Gyorgy Ligeti, Luciano Berio, George Benjamin, John Adams, Steve Reich, Helmut Lachenmann, Kaija Saariaho, Chin Un-suk and Thomas Ades.
Previous Korean recipients include Kim Hee-ra, who placed fourth in 2011, and Park Myung-hoon, who shared second prize in 2016.
