Cellist Kim Tae-yeon wins 2nd prize at Queen Elisabeth competition

Cellist Kim Tae-yeon won second prize at the 2026 Queen Elisabeth Competition, one of the world’s most prestigious classical music contests in Brussels, Sunday. The 20-year-old was named runner-up during the final award ceremony held Saturday at the Bozar concert hall in Belgium's capital. Italy’s Ettore Pagano took first place, while Leland Ko of the United States and Canada finished third. Founded in 1937, the Queen Elisabeth Competition is widely regarded as one of the top three international music competitions, alongside the Chopin and Tchaikovsky competitions. It rotates annually among violin, voice, cello and piano disciplines, with this year dedicated to cello. Kim was among 64 finalists selected from 185 applicants worldwide, including five Koreans. Twelve advanced to the final round, held from Tuesday to Saturday, where they performed with the Belgian National Orchestra. As the youngest finalist, Kim took the stage last, performing Chinese American composer Fang Man’s commissioned work “Four Odes to the Tidings of Flowers” and Witold Lutoslawski’s Cello Concerto under conductor Antony Hermus. Her performance drew a standing ovation for its intensity and bold interpretation. Kim receives a prize of 20,000 euros ($21,700). She debuted in 2020 through the Kumho Prodigy Concert and rose to international prominence after becoming both the youngest-ever and the first Korean winner of the 2024 Witold Lutoslawski International Cello Competition, where she also swept multiple special awards, including the "Grave" award for best performance. She has since earned top prizes at the Antonio Janigro International Cello Competition, the Gustav Mahler International Cello Competition and the Young Tchaikovsky International Competition. Her latest achievement further cements her status as one of the leading young cellists on the global stage. Kim is the second Korean to win an award in the competition after Choi Ha-young’s first-place finish in the same competition in 2022.