Korean pianists Lee Jung-soo, 26, and Lee Dong-yul, 35, shared the honor of winning the first prize at the 8th International Music Contest “Citta di Airola.”

The music contest, held in Airola, Italy, from May 21-29, consists of six categories including soloists, chamber music, opera singing, jazz and pop Music. Seventy of the 700 musicians who participated in the competition were solo pianists.

Pianists Lee Jung-soo and Lee Dong-yul won the first prize in the no age limit section of the soloists category.

On Lee Jung-soo’s performance, Violetta Egorova, the head of the judging panel of the piano section and director of the International Rachmaninov Award, said, “I’m looking forward to his bright future. When he was playing the piece of Russian composer R. Shchedrin, the quick transition of mood was stunning.”

Lee Jung-soo holds a bachelor and master of music degrees in piano performance from the Tchaikovsky Moscow State Conservatory. He is currently enrolled in the doctoral course under Alexander Fomenko at the same conservatory.

The pianist has received multiple awards from international music competitions, including first diploma at the Prokofiev International Music Competition for Young Musicians, second prize at both the Maria Yudina International Music Competition and Bartolomeo Cristofori International Piano Competition, and fourth prize at the Ischia International Music Competition.

By Jung Eun-jin (jej2403@heraldcorp.com)