Violinist Yoo Da-yoon wins 2nd prize at Long-Thibaud competition

Violinist You Da-yoon has won the second prize at the 2023 Long-Thibaud International Competition, according to the Kumho Cultural Foundation on Tuesday.

You, 22, performed Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D Minor Op. 47 with Orchestre de la Garde republicaine at the final that took place at the University of Paris II, Grand Amphitheatre on Sunday. This year's competition took place from Nov. 22 to 26 in Paris, France, with 21 violinists selected from a pre-selection round.

The violinist received 20,000 euros ($22,000) in prize money in addition to an opportunity to participate in about 10 music festivals including the Gstaad New Year Music Festival.

The first and third prizes went to Bohdan Luts from Ukraine and Koshiro Takeuchi from Japan, respectively.

Yoo made his debut at the Kumho Foundation’s Young Artist Concert series in 2017. He studied at the Korea National University of Arts and currently studies at the Hanns Eisler School of Music in Berlin with Kolja Blacher.

Selected as a beneficiary of the Kumho Cultural Foundation's Kumho Instrument Bank, Yoo plays a violin made by G.B. Guadagnini in 1774. Yoo is set to perform in the Kumho Instrument Series on March 7 at the Kumho Concert Hall.

Founded in 1943 by the pianist Marguerite Long and the violinist Jacques Thibaud, the competition is held every two or three years in the disciplines of piano, singing and violin for musicians aged 16 to 33.