Yang In-mo, the winner of this year’s International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition, never thought he would be competing in a competition again.

After all, he had already taken home the top prize from the prestigious Paganini Competition in 2015, at the age of 19, which was the first time the jury awarded that prize since 2006.

Last December, the violinist decided to take part in the competition held in Helsinki in a desperate search for a change and a more active career and he surprised the world by winning the top prize again. His latest achievement has brought him many performance opportunities in Europe, which is exactly what he had hoped for. For a month following the competition, he received two to three invitations every day. In the next year, Yang is booked to perform in Helsinki, Tokyo, London, Spain, Hong Kong, and many cities in Korea.

In November, Korean fans will have the opportunity to witness a new Yang on stage.

On November 10, Yang will perform Strauss’ “Also sprach Zarathustra,” Op.30 and Chin Unsuk’s Violin Concerto No.1 at Lotte Concert Hall along with the Busan Philharmonic Orchestra to celebrate their 60th anniversary.

Before the concert, Yang will play Mozart’s Violin Sonata No. 18 and Sibelius: 4 Pieces For Violin And Piano Op.78. at the former presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, also known as the Blue House, which has recently become a multicultural complex.

Before he does his first performances in Korea since his crowning achievement, the 26-year-old met with local reporters on Thursday and spoke about his life before and after the two competitions, as well as his newly-found affection for contemporary music and his journey to compose a great violin concerto. Questions and answers have been edited for clarity.

Q. Why did you participate in the International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition?

I thought I was done with competitions. But my career after Paganini didn’t take off as I had expected partly because I was based in the US (as a student). After I moved to Berlin in 2020, I wanted to build up my reputation and have more performances. To achieve this in the quickest way possible I entered the competition.

It was also a way to cope with the pandemic. As a musician, I spend most of my time practicing alone, similar to most others. Performances only take up one or 2 percent of our time. Without the added aspect of performing in front of an audience, it was really difficult to motivate myself to practice. I even contemplated my own existence. (Referring to his nickname 'Inmo-nini') I also wanted to show other aspects of myself, other than being the winner of the Paganini competition.

Q. What do you like about participating in competitions?

If you participate in a competition, you are given the opportunity to talk to the judges and get advice regardless of whether you win or not. In addition, you have opportunities to talk to the conductors or orchestra members with whom you perform. That's how you learn a lot. Ultimately, I think the result of the victory depends on the taste of the judges, so I thought it was important to fully take advantage of such an opportunity rather than simply depending on whether I won or not.

In addition, I can observe many fellow performers of various styles. For instance, someone played a piece without any vibrato. Then I would wonder "why did he come to that interpretation?" In addition, witnessing which performers move on to the next stage gives us a sense of the types of performance styles and interpretations of composers that are more recognized and accepted by society these days.

Q. Do you think competitions are a must for musicians?

Competition is not for everyone. In Europe, there are so many successful musicians who have never won a competition. Winning a competition can only help launch your career. However, maintaining your career is much more difficult and this is something I say from experience after having participated in several competitions.

Q. You also won the best performance of Magnus Lindberg's commissioned work "Caprice" at the Sibelius Violin Competition. What do you think about contemporary classical pieces?

As a musician of the 21st century, I believe I also have to be interested in the music of our time. I used to cry when I heard Schubert or Brahms, but these days, I can't remember since when, but I would tear up while listening to contemporary classical music, as if I had found a connection with it. It feels like I'm using muscles that I don't usually use. It also feels like my mission as a musician. "What kind of music should I listen to in our society" is the most important question that I am currently pondering.

Q. You will perform Chin Unsuk’s Violin Concerto No.1 on Nov. 10. How do you feel about the piece?

I have been practicing the piece since I acquired a handwritten score about two years ago. I began practicing in earnest in June and have been playing for three hours a day. This piece is one of the most difficult pieces and even makes Beethoven's and Mozart's music seem easier. In this piece, both classical and modern aspects coexist. In terms of the format, it’s a classic four-movement. However, while a concerto usually shows the antagonistic relationship between the solo part and the ensemble, in this piece, a solo and ensemble together create a super instrument. The soloist barely takes a rest, and it’s physically exhausting. It offers a unique sound rarely found in other concertos. This piece offers a very interesting experience.

Q. What if your fans do not like to listen to contemporary music?

I think about that a lot actually, especially since it impacts my career as an artist. I’ll take it step by step, starting with mixing classical and contemporary repertoires.

It's also my fundamental goal as a musician to write my own violin concerto and I'd be happy if I can perform it myself. Next December, I will play a violin concerto that was written by my friend and dedicated to me. Understanding contemporary music is a way of achieving my goal. I compose music every day and seek advice from my friends, as well as studying counterpoint.

Q. Do you see many changes in your life after the competition?

This year is the year of changes and I really needed this. I had performances from time to time during the pandemic but I felt lost. I thought about how to maintain my career.

My musical preferences have also changed. I now listen to various types of music, even recordings I once shunned.