Noh, from the Republic of Korea, studied at Yonsei University with Dong-ill Shin, and took two Master’s in organ and claviorganum at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg with Wolfgang Zerer and Menno Van Delft; since 2022 she has studied at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater ‘Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy’ in Leipzig in the meisterclass with Martin Schmeding.  

The Interpretation second prize and the Audience Prize were awarded to Julian Becker, from Germany, who was also a finalist in the Improvisation competition. 

This year, the Improvisation first prize was shared between Samuel Gaskin (USA), a Fulbright scholar currently studying for an Artist’s Diploma in Paris with Jean-Baptiste Robin; and Niklas Jahn (Germany), currently studying for a double Master’s in Church Music and Organ Improvisation at the University of Music Freiburg with Profs. Maierhofer, Dubois and Franke.  

The Douglas May Award was won by Ben Bloor (UK) for his performance of Elgar’s Sonata in the quarter-final round; Magdalena Moser (Austria) was awarded the Judith Weir prize for her performance of the commissioned work, St Alban; and the Peter Hurford Bach prize went to Johannes Krahl (Germany) for his performance in the quarter-final all-Bach round. 

A full report will be published in the November/December issue of Choir & Organ.

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