Winners of the Bertold Hummel Competition 2019 in the harp category
Würzburg 22 to 24 November
1st prize (€ 3,000)
Hyejin Kim
Hyejin Kim (2001 | South Korea) is currently studying at the Conservatoire National Supérieur Musique et Danse de Lyon (CNSMD) in the classes of Fabrice Pierre, Sylvain Blassel and Park Stickney. She has already won numerous prizes such as 2nd Prize (1st Prize not awarded) with Special Prize by MÁV Symphony Orchestra, International Harp Competition in Szeged, Hungary in 2016, 1st Prize at the Korean Chamber Orchestra Competition in Seoul, South Korea in 2015 and 1st Prize (Junior Section) at the Lily Laskine International Harp Competition in Paris in 2014. Hyejin Kim has attended masterclasses with Chantal Mathieu (2018), Isabelle Moretti (2017), Catherine Michel (2017), Marie-Claire Jamet (2017), Marie-Pierre Langlamet (2013), June Han (2013), Lavinia Meijer (2013, 2008) and Ghislaine Petit-Volta (2012) and has given numerous solo recitals in South Korea, France, Hungary and the USA.
2nd prizes (€1,500 each)
Julia Kräuter / Shiho Minami
Julia Kräuter (1995 | Austria) studied in Vienna with Prof. Mirjam Schröder-Feldhoff and continued her studies with Prof. Andreas Mildner at the HfM Würzburg. She has already won several prizes and gained orchestral experience with Philharmonic Generations Vienna, Webern Symphony Orchestra, Webern Chamber Philharmonic and Klangvereinigung Wien.
Shiho Minami (1992 | Japan) studied in Tokyo and Berlin with Prof. Maria Graf and Prof. Gesine Dreyer. She is currently a student of Prof Mildner at the HfM Würzburg. She won 3rd prize at The 23rd Nippon Harp Competition 2011 (Japan) Professional division and at the Dutch Harp Competition 2014 (Holland). Diverse orchestral experience with Tokyo Symphony Orchestra, Staatskapelle Dresden, Hamburger Sinfoniker, Rundfunk Sinfonie-Orchester Berlin, among others.
3rd prize (1000 €)
Johannes (Joost) Willemze
Johannes (Joost) Willemze (1996 | Holland) has been playing the harp since he was seven years old. He has been studying with Erika Waardenburg at the Academie Muzikaal Talent since 2008. He also studied with Edward Witsenburg in The Hague and Manja Smits in Amstelveen. He has also attended masterclasses with Elinor Bennett, Emmanuel Ceysson, Skaila Kanga, Sivan Magen, Isabelle Perrin, Sylvain Blassel and Judy Loman. Joost has received several prizes and awards, including first prize at the National Final of the Princess Christina Competition in The Hague. In April 2015, he was awarded second prize at the George Gerswhin International Music Competition in New York. In November 2017 he won 1st prize at the Portuguese International Harp Competition and in March 2018 2nd prize at the Korean International Harp Competition. In September 2018, he won the main prize at the 8th International Harp Competition "Suoni d'Arpa" in Italy in the soloist category, which also offered him the opportunity to record his own album with TACTUS. Joost performs extensively in the Netherlands and abroad. Recent performances include concerts at the Dutch Harp Festival, the Canal Festival in Amsterdam and the Rio Harp Festival in Brazil. In 2019 he performed for Salvi Harps at the Barcelona Conservatory and at the Italian event Arpissima. Joost has been a soloist in several television concerts, including the harp concerto in Dittersdorf with the Netherlands Youth Orchestra and the Ginastera concerto with the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra. Joost studied classical music and Russian at Leiden University and is currently continuing his harp studies with Erika Waardenburg in the master's programme at the Amsterdam Conservatory.