Sang-min Ryu
Sang-min Ryu(b.2000) was born in South Korea. In 2017, he started learning composition under the guidance of Young-bin Jung. From 2019 to 2024, he earned bachelor’s degrees cum laude in Composition, Philosophy, and Mathematics, with a minor in Physics, at Hanyang University, where he studied composition under Myung-hoon Park and Ji-hyang Kim.
In 2024, he was awarded 3rd Prize in the Composition category at the 78th Geneva Competition. In 2025, he is pursuing a Master’s degree in Composition (minor in Piano) at the Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf, studying composition under José María Sánchez-Verdú and piano under Julia Golkhovaya.
Drawing inspiration from philosophy—the art of creating concepts—his compositions primarily explore philosophical themes, incorporating ideas from philosophers such as Spinoza, Hegel, Bergson, and Deleuze.
About My Music
Without a doubt, my life is comprised of music, philosophy, and mathematics. Through many years of studying these three disciplines, I have come to realize that they form a unified system for me. For example, in mathematics and philosophy, the role of philosophy is indispensable when defining mathematical objects. Similarly, in music and philosophy, we cannot avoid philosophical questions when defining time as a composer. Among them, philosophy plays the role of distributing, regulating, and intergrating music and mathematics. Only within this cycle does a unified system come into being.
In this regard, philosophy holds a significant place in my music. “Philosophy is the art of forming, inventing, and fabricating concepts.1” This is akin to the work I do in composing. There are two ways to incorporate philosophy into music: using it as a theme (or material) and embedding it within the music itself. I have composed many works using the first method. For example, I have incorporated Bergson (1859–1941)’s “Élan vital,” and Deleuze (1925–1995)’s “Différence et répétition,” among others.
The second method is what I ultimately desire as a composer. Transitioning from the first method to the second is the challenge I have been deeply exploring. It is a realm that can only be reached through pure thought. To find an answer to this, I am researching G.W.F. Hegel (1770-1831)’s “Science of Logic (Wissenschaft der Logik).” However, even if philosophy condenses music and mathematics into itself to form a unified system, it is the unique role of music, specifically composition, to unfold and explicate them.
[1] Deleuze, Gilles, and Félix Guattari. What is Philosophy? Columbia University Press, 1994, p. 2.
Education
· March 2019 – February 2024 : B.M. in Composition / B.A. in Philosophy / B.S. in Mathematics at Hanyang University (Cum Laude) [Studied under Myunghoon Park, Jihyang Kim]
· April 2025 – Present: M.M. in Composition at Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf (Minor: Piano) [Studying composition under José María Sánchez-Verdú; piano under Julia Golkhovaya]
Award
· October 2024: 3rd Prize & Nicati-De Luze Prize in Composition at the 78th Concours de Genève
Sangmin Ryu 