26-year-old South Korean cellist Woochan Jeong won the overall prize
Presented annually, the Tokyo Minato City International Music Competition (TMCIMC) alternates each year between editions that focus on the violin, cello, and piano.
The 2025 cello edition saw three players proceed to the final round, held on October 2 at Tokyo’s Suntory Hall. All three finalists played Haydn’s Cello Concerto No. 2, as well as Elgar’s Cello Concerto.
In 2025, the jury comprised Shinozaki Maro Fuminori (chair), Peter Hörr, Massimo Macri, Matthijs Broersma, Seungmin Kang, Unno Mikio, and Watanabe Genichi.
The 26-year-old South Korean cellist Woochan Jeong emerged as the overall winner. He received a cash prize of 5,000,000 Yen (approximately $34,000), as well as a recital opportunity in Japan. He also received the audience prize.
Jeong studied with Kang-Ho Lee at Korea’s National University of Arts in Korea, before furthering his studies with Troels Svane at Berlin’s Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler.
He is a laureate of the Queen Elisabeth Competition, the IsangYun Competition, the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians, the JoongAng competition, the KBS KEPCO Music Competition, and the Prague Spring International Music Competition.
Second Prize of 2,000,000 Yen went to the 19-year-old Spanish cellist Guillem Gràcia Soler, while Third Prize of 1,000,000 Yen went to Korean-New Zealand cellist Yoonsoo Yeo.
AloJapan.com