Sangwon Lee wins international music competition

Sangwon Lee of Korea, a Ph.D. candidate in Brandeis’ Composition and Theory graduate program, has been awarded the “Alcide Cervi” scholarship from the Italian Concorso Internationale di Compositione.

The scholarship is given annually to the winner of the “2 Agosto” competition — an international competition, developed under the patronage of the president of the Italian Republic to create new musical works in memory of a major terrorist attack on the Italian people.

On Aug. 2, 1980, neo-fascist terrorists bombed the central train station in Bologna, killing 85 people and wounding more than 200. In commemoration of this slaughter, the Italian government designated Aug. 2 as a holiday to remember all victims of terror. Now in its 16th year, the Concorso Internationale contest showcases new works by young composers memorializing the Bologna Massacre. Each year winning scores are performed live in Bologna’s Piazza Maggiore during a series of regional events.

The Alcide Cervi award specifically is given to scores that present a linguistic elaboration and structural point of view of the event. Lee’s composition, "Chaconne,"  is a type of short harmonic progression typical of the baroque era. The award includes a 500 Euro prize.

Open to musicians of all nationalities, the competition is for those under 40 years old and requires submission of a full score for piano and orchestra. The aim of the program is to stimulate dialogue among different cultures, so inclusion of unique regional styles is encouraged.

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