[Life] Taiwanese Youth Chen Wei-chung Wins Top Prize at International Conducting Competition in Turkey

Amid fierce competition from 16 young conductors worldwide, Taiwanese young conductor Chen Wei-chung emerged victorious in the first Eskişehir International Gürer Aykal Orchestra Conducting Competition held in Turkey, winning the First Prize. This achievement demonstrates the brilliant energy of Taiwan's new generation of conductors. After receiving the award, Chen Wei-chung couldn't hide his excitement, saying, "I'm grateful to NSO CEO Kuo Wen-tsen for congratulating me immediately via phone call. Recalling my meeting with Director Jun Märkl and CEO Kuo two weeks ago, they cheered me on when they knew I was going to compete in Turkey. It feels wonderful to share this great news with them today!" Reflecting on his conducting journey, Chen Wei-chung shared that he joined the Jian Guo High School Band and Orchestra during high school. Inspired by teacher Wang Zhan, he first felt the profound impact of conducting on the ensemble's sound, which led him to dedicate himself to conducting. While studying at the Department of Medical Laboratory Science and Biotechnology at National Taiwan University, he continued to participate in wind and symphony orchestras, gradually building his understanding of music and conducting under the guidance of several teachers. After receiving a Ministry of Education scholarship for overseas study, Chen Wei-chung pursued a Doctor of Musical Arts in Orchestral Conducting at Indiana University in the United States in 2022, studying under Professors Arthur Fagen, Thomas Wilkins, and Jeffery Meyer. He is currently the Music Director of the Bloomington Bridges MAYO Youth Symphony Orchestra. He was also invited to serve as Assistant Conductor to Fabien Gabel at the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and was twice selected for masterclasses with Robert Spano and Jun Märkl. Notably, Chen Wei-chung is also one of the few students selected for three consecutive years for the "TSMC × NSO × TNUA Music Without Borders Program—Chih-Chia Liu Conducting Masterclass." He emotionally stated, "I want to express my special gratitude to the Music Without Borders Program and Teacher Chih-Chia Liu for accepting me as a masterclass student for three consecutive years from 2023 to 2025. This allowed me to learn from Teacher Liu up close. That period was truly the happiest and most eye-opening time in the world, and it's what I most look forward to each year when flying back to Taiwan from the US." Chen Wei-chung said that this first prize is his first international conducting award. He is grateful for the nourishment provided by NSO and Teacher Chih-Chia Liu, which enabled him to receive his first conducting award today, making it very significant." Moving forward, he will also be invited to serve as a guest conductor for the Budafok Dohnányi Orchestra in Hungary, continuing to shine on the international stage.