Sungmin Kong

South Korea

selected candidate

2026 CHENGDU INTERNATIONAL CLARINET COMPETITION

school affiliation

Seoul National University

Sungmin Kong, a South Korean clarinetist born in 2004, has a solid musical education background. She is currently pursuing her studies at the College of Music of Seoul National University (SNU), where she receives guidance from renowned teachers including Sangwoo Lim, Sangyoon Kim, and Jaehyuk Jang. Before entering university, she completed her middle school education at Yewon Arts Middle School from 2017 to 2019 and her high school education at Seoul Arts High School from 2020 to 2022, laying a solid foundation for her future musical career.

She boasts rich and diverse performance experience, covering solo recitals, chamber music, and orchestral performances. She has participated in important events such as the 88th Chosunilbo Debut Concert in 2025 and the 2024 SCMF ‘Start of the Wind’ Chamber Recital with BEO Quintet, and has held solo recitals at prestigious venues like Kukje Art Hall and Shinhan Arthall. As a soloist and chamber musician, she has collaborated with orchestras such as the SNU Philharmonic Orchestra and Cheongju Philharmonic Orchestra, performing classic works by W. A. Mozart and M. Mangani. She has also served as a guest member of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and a member of the Going Home Project’s academy, participating in performances of works by M. Ravel and G. Mahler, and has joined major music festivals including the Gonjiam Music Festival and The 22nd Music in PyeongChang.

In terms of competitions and professional development, she has achieved remarkable results. Internationally, she was a finalist in the 5th Lisbon International Clarinet Competition in 2020, won the 3rd Prize in the 3rd Wener Pirchner Preis in Austria in 2024, and advanced to the 1st Round of the 74th ARD International Music Competition in Germany in 2025. Domestically, she has won multiple top awards, including the 3rd Prize in the 65th Dong-A Music Competition, the Grand Prize in the 4th Drawing The Music Music Competition, and other honors in national competitions. Additionally, she has actively participated in master classes over the years, receiving professional guidance from world-renowned musicians such as Ricardo Morales, Giovanni Punzi, and Florent Héau, continuously polishing her skills and enhancing his artistic expression.