2022 Claudio Abbado Composition Prize Announced

Presented by the Karajan Academy of the Berliner Philharmoniker, the award was given to South-Korean composer Donghoon Shin

As the winner, Shin will be commissioned to write a cello concerto in celebration of the Karajan Academy’s 50^th anniversary, which is to be premiered in May 2022. It will be performed by Bruno Delepelaire, solo cellist of the Berliner Philharmonic, alongside musicians from the Berliner Philharmonic and the Karajan Academy, conducted by Kirill Petrenko.

Awarded at irregular intervals, the prize is in honour of the Berlin Philharmonic's Chief Conductor from 1989–2002.

Shin currently lives in London, pursuing a Ph.D. in composition under Sir George Benjamin at King’s College London. He previously studied composition at Seoul National University with Sukhi Kang and Uzong Choe, and at Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Julian Anderson.

His works have been performed by orchestras including the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, LA Philharmonic, and Bamberg Symphony Orchestra.