Noh SeungJu is a composer from South Korea based in Salzburg. He doubts that there is anything to be said about music. While he does not oppose the idea that music can be turned into signs or symbols, he believes language is not the right medium for it. However, he thinks it is both possible and necessary to speak about methodology. If the act of composition can qualify as research, he believes it is precisely in this dimension that it does so.

He is studying composition with Johannes Maria Staud at the Mozarteum (master’s completed, postgraduate in progress). At the same time, he is pursuing a Ph.D. in the Arts at the same institution, exploring new horizons in “research through art.”

In 2022, Noh earned dual bachelor’s degrees in Composition and Creative Writing (Literature & Film Criticism) at Chung-Ang University. Upon graduating, he performed at the 85th Chosun Ilbo Debut Concert, which features top graduates from music universities across Korea. In 2024, he completed his master’s degree in Composition at the Mozarteum under the guidance of Professor Johannes Maria Staud. In recognition of his outstanding artistic accomplishments—surpassing all graduating students in Musicology, Composition, and Conducting—he was awarded the Paumgartner Medal by the International Mozarteum Foundation. He is currently continuing his postgraduate composition studies under Professor Johannes Maria Staud and, concurrently, pursuing a Ph.D. in the Arts at the Mozarteum.

Noh’s works have been featured at major festivals and academies, including the Lucerne Festival Composer Seminar, the Tongyeong International Music Festival (TIMF) Academy, and ARCO (Art, Research, and Creation Opus). His music has been performed by renowned ensembles such as Ensemble Modern, Ensemble Multilatérale, the IEMA Ensemble, and the Mozarteum Contemporary Music Ensemble. In 2024, he presented a solo composition recital, Morphology, in Salzburg, premiering new works with the Mozarteum Contemporary Music Ensemble under the baton of Kai Röhrig.

He has also taken part in various projects and performances—among them Ensemble Modern’s Happy New Ears Concert (2024), Afterthoughts (2023), Dynamikfest Salzburg (2023), and String Quartet Revisited (2023). His studies have included masterclasses with Unsuk Chin (including those hosted by the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra in 2016, the TIMF Academy, and the Lucerne Festival Academy), Frédéric Durieux, Sarah Nemtsov, Francesco Filidei, Eva Reiter, and Yann Robin. Further highlights include appearing as one of Korea’s outstanding music graduates at the 85th Chosun Ilbo New Artist Concert in 2022.

Among Noh’s additional distinctions include Second Prize at the 2020 Bartók World Competition (organized by the Liszt Academy), Second Prize at the 2016 ISCM-ACC International Composition Competition, Finalist at the Il-shin Composition Award in the same year, First Prize at the 28th Music Association Competition (2015), and Second Prize at the 17th National Music Competition (2015). He was awarded scholarships by Chung-Ang University in 2016 and 2020. From 2018 to 2020, he contributed to the Korean classical music webzine Classian, where he authored a 20-part series titled Ye-To-Jeon-Saeng, offering a journalistic perspective on contemporary composers.

Seung Ju Noh