He composed the contemporary piece (for which he received the special prize) himself. “Life is not enough!” is the name of the composition. Whirring girlands, strong rhythmic accents and delicate moments combine to create a rousing performance.
But the other two finalists also delivered outstanding performances. The 27-year-old clarinetist Victor Díaz Guerra, a winner at the 2019 Nielsen Competition and currently Principal Clarinet at the Orquesta de la Comunidad de Madrid, won second prize with a technically brilliant performance of Carl Maria von Weber's 2nd Clarinet Concerto. With a robust, silvery sound, he gave the solo part a very clear structure and interpreted it in a rather classically strict than romantically way. Even in the slow middle movement, the expression of feelings remained discreet.
The third prize was awarded to bassoonist Minju Kim (28), previous winner at the Prague Spring Competition and Principal Bassoon of the Hamburg Philharmonic Orchestra. The late classical Concertino in B-flat major by the Finnish composer Bernhard Crusell sounds as cheerful as a morning walk. But the countless trills, runs and arpeggios make the solo a tough workout. Kim mastered the high demands with skill, but not without tension.
