The ISANGYUN Competition 2026, to be held in the piano discipline
ISANGYUN Competition 2026
Founded in 2003 to honour the world-renowned composer Isang Yun and to discover and nurture the next generation of musicians, the ISANGYUN Competition 2026 will take place from 31 Oct to 8 Nov.
The competition alternates annually among piano, violin, and cello disciplines, and this year’s competition will be held in piano. In 2006, the competition became the second in Asia and the first in Korea to be admitted to the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC).
This year, the competition received applications from 215 young musicians representing 21 countries, the highest number of applicants in the competition’s history.
ISANGYUN Competition 2005 – Dasol Kim
The competition will be judged by an internationally distinguished jury chaired by Klaus Hellwig of Germany. Other jury members include Ariel Cohen, Katsunori Ishii, Dasol Kim, Jinsang Lee, David Mareček, Julian Martin, Xiaohan Wang, and Peter von Wienhardt.
Following the Preliminary Round, 27 pianists were selected to advance to the First Round, to be held from 1 to 2 Nov. The Second Round will take place from 4 to 5 Nov, followed by the Final on 7 Nov at Tongyeong Concert Hall in Korea. Finalists will perform with the Tongyeong Festival Orchestra under the baton of Daejin Kim, professor at Korea National University of Arts.
In addition to the main prizes from first through fourth place, the competition will present the Isang Yun Special Prize, the Seong-Yawng Park Special Prize, and the UNESCO City of Music Special Prize. The total prize money amounts to KRW 74 million. Prize winners will also perform at the Winners’ Concert at Busan Concert Hall on 8 Nov. The winners will also be offered further performance opportunities to support their continued artistic development.
ISANGYUN Competition 2019 – Yunchan Lim
Previous piano editions of the competition have produced internationally acclaimed artists, including Sofya Gulyak, winner of the Leeds International Piano Competition in 2009; Dasol Kim, currently a professor at Seoul National University; William Youn, now a professor at Korea National University of Arts; and Yunchan Lim, the youngest-ever winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2022.
ISANGYUN Competition 2022 – Jaemin Han
In the cello and violin disciplines, the competition has also produced internationally recognised laureates such as Narek Hakhnazaryan, winner of the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2011; Yu Chien Tseng, winner of the Queen Elisabeth Competition in 2012; and Jaemin Han, who won third prize at the Geneva International Music Competition in 2021. Through these achievements, the competition has established itself as one of Asia’s leading international music competitions.
The First and Second Rounds are open to the public free of charge, while tickets for the Final may be reserved in advance. All three rounds will also be livestreamed via the foundation’s official YouTube channel.
For more than two decades, the ISANGYUN Competition has brought together young musicians from around the world in Tongyeong, Korea. By providing a stage for emerging artists and connecting them with distinguished musicians and audiences, the competition continues to support the next generation of musical talent. Audiences are invited to attend the Final on 7 Nov 2026 at Tongyeong Concert Hall and witness the moment new stars emerge.