Two Korean winners of Queen Elisabeth Competition to perform in Belgium

Two Korean winners of the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition will perform a special recital in Belgium on Saturday.

Violinist Lim Ji-young, winner of the competition in 2015, and cellist Choi Ha-young, this year's winner, will take the stage at Queen Elisabeth Hall in Antwerp, Belgium, according to the Korean Cultural Center in Brussels.

Both took the highest honors at one of the most prestigious competitions for up-and-coming classical musicians. Held in Brussels, it alternates each year among piano, cello, voice and violin.

In 2015, Lim became the first Korean to win the prize in violin, performing Brahms’ Concerto in D, Op. 77. Since then she has performed with the Belgian National Orchestra, the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and the NHK Symphony Orchestra.

In June this year, Choi became the first Korean to receive the top honor in cello, performing Lutoslawski’s Cello Concerto with the Brussels Philharmonic in the final round.

The two musicians will play Britten’s Cello Sonata, Op. 65, Haydn’s Piano Trio in G major and Strauss’ Violin Sonata, Op. 18. The center said this is the first time the two musicians will be on stage performing together.

Joining the pair are pianists Remi Geniet and Joachim Carr.

This is the final event in the concert series of “Sound Korea,” co-hosted by the Korean Cultural Center and the Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, in collaboration with the Queen Elisabeth Competition.