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  • 2026.07.27
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Announcing the Candidates of the 3rd Hong Kong International Conducting Competition

Organised by Hong Kong Sinfonietta, the 3rd Hong Kong International Conducting Competition has announced the 16 Candidates who have been shortlisted to join the Competition in Hong Kong in January 2027. The Candidates come from China, the UK, Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Spain, Italy, Czechia, Greece, Australia and Colombia.

This announcement follows the Preliminary Selection stage which took place at the end of June, where Jury Co-chairs Yip Wing-sie and Christoph Poppen (Music Director Emeritus and Music Director of Hong Kong Sinfonietta respectively) as well as James Cuddeford (Concertmaster of Hong Kong Sinfonietta) reviewed 215 applications from 38 countries and regions around the world.

Having successfully held two highly acclaimed editions in 2018 and 2023, the Hong Kong International Conducting Competition aims to provide a platform for promising young conductors aged 35 and under to expand their professional network in Asia and beyond. The 1st Prize winner of the 3rd Hong Kong International Conducting Competition will take home HK$200,000 in prize money, as well as a concert engagement with Hong Kong Sinfonietta and mentorship opportunities.

The Competition features an international Jury made up of conductors and professionals in the music business today, who will share their valuable insights with all Candidates at the end of the Competition. In addition to Co-chairs Yip Wing-sie (Music Director Emeritus, Hong Kong Sinfonietta) and Christoph Poppen (Music Director, Hong Kong Sinfonietta), the esteemed Jury includes Nicolás Pasquet (Zubin Mehta Chair of Conducting, Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía; International Chair in Conducting, Royal Northern College of Music), Chien Wen-pin (General and Artistic Director, Weiwuying Center for the Arts), Xenia Groh-Hu (Managing Director, karsten witt music management), Youri Son (Director of Artistic Planning, KBS Symphony Orchestra), James Cuddeford (Concertmaster, Hong Kong Sinfonietta) and Ambrose Lui (Violin, Hong Kong Sinfonietta).

With three rounds of competition taking place over four days, the Candidates will conduct Hong Kong Sinfonietta in an exciting selection of iconic symphonic repertoire, as well as the third movement of Schumann’s Piano Concerto in A minor featuring star pianist Rachel Cheung, and the world première of local composer Daniel Lo Ting-cheung’s specially commissioned Endless Rhythm. All rounds of the Competition are open to the public; tickets will go on sale at URBTIX with more details to be announced in due course.

 

The 16 shortlisted Candidates of the 3rd Hong Kong International Conducting Competition are:

(Ages as at July 2026)

  • Samuel AGUIRRE (Colombia/Netherlands, 33)
  • Sebastian ALMANZAR (Colombia, 31)
  • Oliver COPE (UK, 27)
  • Jiaying DING (China, 31)
  • Roc FARGAS (Spain, 30)
  • Nathaniel GRIFFITHS (Australia, 30)
  • Fabian GRÜNKORN (Germany, 23)
  • Yukuang JIN (China, 26)
  • Mauro MARIANI (Italy, 33)
  • Pietro MAZZETTI (Italy, 30)
  • Joseph SIEBER (Switzerland, 34)
  • Pedro SOTELO (Spain, 26)
  • Ondřej SOUKUP (Czechia, 31)
  • Giorgos TSILIDIS (Greece, 35)
  • Drummado WIJNHAMER (Netherlands, 27)
  • Fanye YUAN (China, 30)

Click HERE for the full details of the Competition.