In the lead up to the 2026 Great Romantics Competition on September 12, we sat down with Hee Jin Park, last year’s winner of the Elisabeth Murdoch Prize. We found out about his love for swimming in the Almkanal, the challenges of Prokofiev’s Second Violin Concerto, and how a chamber-orchestra learns to breathe together.
Why did you choose your instrument?
My older brother started playing the violin when he was three, and I was born the following year, so the violin was always around while I was growing up. Naturally, I wanted to copy him and start playing too.
When did you start playing?
My mum made me wait until I was five before I could begin, and I still couldn’t wait to start. Of course, over the years there were plenty of fights about practising, once I realised it involved much more work than I had initially imagined.
Who are your musical heroes?
My musical heroes are my teachers, particularly Ole Böhn, Esther Hoppe and Rowan Harvey. They have each shaped my playing in different ways and have done so much to cultivate my love for music.
I also admire the varied musical lives they have built across solo playing, chamber music, orchestral work and teaching. They have all encouraged me to explore that kind of broad musical life for myself.
What was it like to win the 2025 Great Romantics Competition?
It was a great honour and a very special experience. Performing at Melbourne Recital Centre was already something I had been looking forward to, and sharing the stage with the wonderful pianist Aiden Boase made it even more memorable.
Winning the competition was very encouraging for me, particularly as an Australian musician now studying overseas.
What has been your performance highlight so far?
It is of course very difficult to pick just one concert, but two stand out because they each had a special moment.
The first was performing Lalo’s Symphonie espagnole with the Bad Reichenhall Philharmoniker last July, when I felt a real sense of freedom and excitement with the orchestra.
The second was leading a chamber-orchestra arrangement of Mahler’s Fourth Symphony at the HerbstTöne Festival in Salzburg. There was a moment in the slow movement when the whole ensemble seemed to breathe together, and that has stayed with me.
What pieces are you working on now? Most challenging aspects?
At the moment, I am working on Prokofiev’s Second Violin Concerto and the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto.
Prokofiev changes character completely from one moment to the next, often just as the violin part becomes technically awkward. Mendelssohn is difficult in a different way: it is intensely emotional, but still needs a long, pure musical line and a clear sense of direction.
What do you like to do outside of practising music?
I enjoy playing table tennis, hiking and spending time with friends.
When the weather is warm in Salzburg, I also like swimming in the Almkanal, although the water is usually much colder than expected.
Do you have any advice for applicants to the 2026 Great Romantics Competition?
Choose repertoire that plays to your strengths and makes an immediate impression, while still showing contrasting sides of your playing.
A good programme should demonstrate both your musical instincts and your technical command. Most importantly, choose pieces that you genuinely enjoy performing, as that usually comes across much more clearly than selecting something simply because it seems impressive.
Don’t forget to complete your Great Romantics Competition applications by Wednesday 29 July 2026. For more details click the link below.