On August 31st, the 10th NTD World Chinese Vocal Competition came to a close in New York. Jiyun Bae, a contestant from South Korea, won the Silver Award. She expressed that the experience of participating in the competition has “broadened her horizons”.
Currently a master’s degree student majoring in vocal music at Hanyang University in South Korea, Jiyun performed Chinese art song “Three Wishes of the Rose” and the aria “Dieu quel frisson… amour ranime mon courage” from Charles Gounod’s opera “Roméo et Juliette” during the final on Sunday.
Jiyun’s performance was praised for her fluent technique and rich emotions, garnering enthusiastic applause from the audience.
This was her third international competition and had previously participated in numerous singing contests in Korea. She shared her motivation for participating, stating, “I wanted to challenge myself through international competitions… as Chinese and Korean cultures share many similarities, I chose to participate in this competition.”
In this competition, she sang two Chinese songs, “On the Yangtze River” and “Three Wishes of the Rose”. Despite the challenge of learning Chinese songs without knowing the language, with the help of her classmates correcting pronunciation and explaining the lyrics’ meanings, she decided to take on these songs.
She mentioned the competition broadened her perspectives. While in Korea, she focused on showcasing her skills without much emphasis on emotional expression; however, here, she found that other contestants were more focused on conveying emotions and meanings through music.
Participants from around the world showcased diverse interpretation styles, exposing her to unfamiliar approaches she had not encountered before.
Through participating in the master class held by internationally renowned mezzo-soprano Frederica von Stade before the final, she realized the importance of not just singing lyrics but also expressing the multiple meanings behind each word.
Von Stade’s emphasis on kindness and gratitude deeply resonated with Jiyun, highlighting the importance of maintaining a kind heart even outside the music field. This advice left a strong impact on her, inspiring her to be a positive influence to those around her.
The NTD Vocal Competition aims to promote the pure, sincere, and beautiful vocal art through traditional sound technique, a sentiment Jiyun strongly agrees with.
Unlike her previous competition experiences, the warm atmosphere and mutual support among participants left a lasting impression on her. Unlike other competitions where participants often keep to themselves, here, she felt a sense of unity and encouragement among contestants, fostering a positive ambiance.
Overall, she expressed great satisfaction with her experience in the competition. She appreciated the organized arrangements and collective effort towards a common goal, which she found valuable and commendable.