'With six large-scale works spanning two decades of her output, this edition is also the most comprehensive and faithful portrait of one of the essential musical authors of the first quarter of the 21st century,' ICMA writes.

The "Unsuk Chin Edition," a comprehensive recording of works by Korean composer Chin Unsuk performed by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, has won the 2025 International Classical Music Award in the category for contemporary music.
The ICMA jury praised the recording for "capturing the rich and close partnership between Unsuk Chin and the Berlin Philharmonic in its most perfect form."
The collection, released in December 2023, features six major orchestral works composed between 2005 and 2022. It includes standout pieces such as Violin Concerto No. 1, "Le Silence Des Sirenes," "Choros Chordon" and "Rocana."
“With six large-scale works spanning two decades of her output, this edition is also the most comprehensive and faithful portrait of one of the essential musical authors of the first quarter of the 21st century,” ICMA wrote in announcing the winners.
The recordings feature prominent conductors, including Simon Rattle, Chung Myung-whun and Sakari Oramo, as well as violinist Christian Tetzlaff, cellist Alban Gerhardt, soprano Barbara Hannigan and pianist Kim Sun-wook.
The set comprises two CDs, a Blu-ray disc and an informative booklet. The record collection also won the Diapason d’Or award in January 2024.

Chin, who has served as the artistic director of the Tongyeong International Music Festival since 2022, has consistently garnered global acclaim. She received the pretigious Ernst von Siemens Music Prize in 2024. Her upcoming opera, inspired by the collaboration between physicist Wolfgang Pauli and psychiatrist Carl Jung, will premiere in May in Hamburg, Germany.
The ICMA is an international award selected by representatives from leading classical music magazines and broadcasters. Other winners include Christian Macelaru conducting the French National Orchestra for Enescu’s symphonies and violinist Vilde Frang’s Elgar Concerto with Robin Ticciati. The lifetime achievement honor went to violinist Gidon Kremer, BR Klassik was named label of the year and Christoph Ehrenfellner was recognized as composer of the year.
The ICMA awards ceremony takes place March 19 at the Tonhalle in Dusseldorf, Germany.