Lee Jung-woo, 18, wins George Enescu Competition, sweeps 5 special prizes

First place at the 20th George Enescu International Competition

Dominant victory with 5 special prizes, including audience award

Pianist Lee Jung-woo lifts the winner's trophy at the 20th George Enescu International Competition. [Provided by the competition]

Pianist Lee Jung-woo, 18, has won the 20th George Enescu International Competition, taking home the top prize and sweeping five special awards — including the audience prize — in what organizers called an uncontested victory.

According to the competition, Lee performed Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor (Op. 21) with the George Enescu Philharmonic Orchestra under conductor Daniela Candillari in the final round held at the Athenaeum in Bucharest, Romania, claiming first place and a prize of 15,000 euros ($17,200). Second place went to Yiming Guo of China and third to Pinhong Lin of Taiwan.

Alongside the top prize, Lee swept five special awards: the audience prize, determined by votes from music lovers worldwide; the Radu Lupu Prize for the best interpretation of an Enescu work; the École Cortot Prize; the Playing for Tomorrow Prize; and the prize for best performance of a commissioned new work. The sweep drew recognition from judges, audiences and the broader music world alike — spanning musical authenticity, original interpretation and popular appeal.

Lee advanced through the competition from an initial field of 50 contestants who had cleared the online preliminary round, progressing through the second round (12 players) and the semifinals (6 players) before becoming the youngest finalist to claim the title in a three-way final.

Pianist Lee Jung-woo lifts the winner's trophy at the 20th George Enescu International Competition. [Provided by Lee's team]

Founded in 1958 to honor Romanian violinist and composer George Enescu, the competition is regarded as Eastern Europe's most prestigious classical music gateway. Held every two years, it runs piano, violin, cello and composition categories simultaneously. Separated from the accompanying festival into a standalone format in 2014, it has since been held in even-numbered years, discovering the next generation of master performers.

The competition has a deep connection with Korean musicians, having produced Korean prize winners across categories year after year.

In the piano category, An Jong-do placed third in 2009 and Son Jeong-beom took second — with no first prize awarded — in 2011. In the competition that began in 2020 and concluded its final round in 2021 due to the pandemic, pianist Park Yeon-min became the first Korean to win the piano category, ending a five-year drought for the top prize.

In the violin category, Cheon Ha-ram placed second in 2007, Shin A-ra second in 2009 and Bae Won-hee third in 2014, before violinist Kim Gye-hee became the first Korean to win the category in 2016 — with Kim Dong-hyun finishing second that same year. The strong run continued with Wi Jae-won placing second in 2020/2021 and Lee Hyeon-jeong second in 2024.

Lee Jung-woo (center), winner of the 20th George Enescu Competition, with second-place finisher Yiming Guo of China and third-place finisher Pinhong Lin of Taiwan. [Provided by the competition]

In the cello category, Hong Eun-sun took first place in 2014. In the 2020/2021 competition, 15-year-old Han Jae-min set an all-time record as the youngest winner across all categories in the competition's 63-year history, launching him onto the world stage.

Korean musicians have also excelled in the composition category. Jang Eun-ho (symphonic, first prize) and Jo Gwang-ho (chamber, first prize) won in 2011, Ham Jeong-hun took the chamber first prize in 2018, Jo Yeong-jae won the chamber category in 2020/2021, and Kim Shin claimed the symphonic first prize in 2022 — a string of top honors that has underscored the depth of Korean compositional talent.

Earlier in this year's competition, Park Sang-hyeok placed third in the cello category and Kim Eun-chae placed third in the violin category.

Born in 2008, Lee studied under Professor Shin Su-jeong in Korea before enrolling at the New England Conservatory in Boston at age 17. He is currently studying under Professor Paik Hye-sun. A scholarship recipient of the Hyundai Motor Chung Mong-koo Foundation's OnDream Arts and Culture program, Lee has been making his mark on the international stage from an early age — most recently winning the senior division of the 2024 Ettlingen International Competition for Young Pianists in Germany as its youngest-ever champion.

shee@heraldcorp.com