Prizewinners Announced at the Hong Kong International Conducting Competition

Venezuelan conductor Rodolfo Barráez took the First Prize

The second edition of the Hong Kong International Conducting Competition has recently come to a close. Sixteen contestants were selected from a pool of 194 candidates. Three candidates progressed to the final round, where they each conducted the Hong Kong Sinfonietta in two works at Hong Kong City Hall.

The winner of the competition was Rodolfo Barráez of Venezuela, who chose to conduct Schumann's Symphony No. 4 in the final round.

Born in Venezuela and based in Berlin, Barráez made his debut with the Konzerthausorchester Berlin in 2020. He is presently the Associate Conductor of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, and a Dudamel Conducting Fellow at the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

He received Second Prize at the 2020 Siemens-Hallé International Conducting Competition in Manchester, leading to immediate invitations with the Hallé. In addition, Barráez won the 2018 Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México International Conducting Competition (OFUNAM).

Taiwanese conductor Yao-Yu Wu was the runner-up following his performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 4, and Mikhail Mering of Israel received third place, having also conducted Schumann's Symphony No. 4. Venezuelan conductor Abner Padrino was the winner of the Audience Prize, which was decided by an online vote from the public.

In the final round, all competitors also performed Infinity in the palm, the commissioned set work by Hong Kong composer Charles Kwong.

You can watch a recording of the final round below.