The Fourth International Conducting Competition for Chinese Music Nurtures Leadership Talent in the Music Industry

Founded and organized by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, the International Conducting Competition for Chinese Music began in 2011. Originally held every three years, the fourth edition was delayed due to the pandemic. The initial round took place in Shanghai at the end of 2019, the long-awaited semi-finals, quarter-finals, and finals were finally held in 2024. The initial round saw unprecedented enthusiasm, with 59 qualified participants from Mainland China (34%), Hong Kong (8%), and Taiwan (41%), as well as from Japan, Canada, France, the United States, Malaysia, Vietnam, and South Korea, reflecting a highly international mix of young conductors.

"It was unexpected for me to win. I felt very lucky when I heard the result because all the participants were excellent. It is unbelievable that such a prestigious honor was awarded to me. I am grateful to the judges, the members of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, and my fellow contestants who helped elevate my performance," said Huang Wei-cheih.

"Looking back over ten years ago, I saw significant achievements in the areas of composition, performance, and instrument reform in large Chinese ethnic orchestras. However, there was a severe shortage of talented Chinese music conductors, and there were no international competitions for Chinese music conducting. Inspired by this, the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, after holding several international Chinese music conducting masterclasses, founded the world's first International Conducting Competition for Chinese Music in 2011. We hoped to use this platform to discover and showcase young talented conductors, thereby promoting the development of Chinese music conducting art," said Yan Huichang, Artistic Director and Principal Conductor for Life of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, the initiator of the International Conducting Competition for Chinese Music, and Chairman of the Fourth International Conducting Competition for Chinese Music.

As internationally renowned composer and former Chairman of the Chinese Musicians Association Zhao Jiping said, "The (Chinese music conducting) competition is an unprecedented initiative in the field of modern large-scale Chinese music performance art over the past century and a milestone in the history of Chinese music development."

Bian Zushan, co-head of the panel of judges, stated, "For decades, the Chinese Orchestra has been vigorously promoting Chinese music, enhancing its status internationally, and sparking strong interest in Chinese music in Europe and other regions. As understanding of Chinese culture deepens, foreign attention and interest in Chinese music continue to grow."

In this competition, Feng Tianyou won the second place, Guo Pan won the third place and the award of "Best Interpretation of Works of Hong Kong," while Cui Yuanyuan won the award of "Musicians’ Choice," voted by members’ of the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra.

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