2020 Symphony Festival Opens on the 28th... 14 Groups Including Seoul Philharmonic Participate

Daily Classical Concerts Until the 10th of Next Month... Hanwha Group Sponsors for 21 Years

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The Symphony Orchestra Festival, a classical music festival held annually by the Seoul Arts Center in collaboration with Hanwha Group, will open on the 28th. Originally scheduled to begin on March 31, this year's festival is delayed by about four months due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19). Under the name "2020 Symphony Orchestra Festival, Special," the festival will present 14 performances until the 10th of next month.

Veteran domestic conductors known for their experience and depth will lead performances by the Changwon Philharmonic Orchestra (Kim Dae-jin), Jeonju Philharmonic Orchestra (Kim Kyung-hee), Bucheon Philharmonic (Park Young-min), Korean Symphony Orchestra (Jung Chi-yong), Gangneung Philharmonic Orchestra (Ryu Seok-won), Gangnam Symphony Orchestra (Sung Ki-sun), Cheongju Philharmonic Orchestra (Jo Kyu-jin), and Gunpo Prime Philharmonic (Jang Yoon-sung). Additionally, young conductors in their 30s and 40s will lead the Suwon Philharmonic Orchestra (Choi Hee-jun), Incheon Philharmonic Orchestra (Lee Byung-wook), Wonju Philharmonic Orchestra (Kim Kwang-hyun), foreign conductor Wilson Ng leading the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra (Massimo Zanetti), offering a variety of colorful performances.

The opening performance on the 28th will be by the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. The Seoul Philharmonic will participate in this year's festival in place of the Daegu Philharmonic Orchestra, which announced its withdrawal. Under the baton of associate conductor Wilson Ng, the Seoul Philharmonic will perform Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 1 and Schumann's Symphony No. 2. Wilson Ng, associate conductor of the Seoul Philharmonic, recently placed third in the Mahler International Conducting Competition held in Bamberg, Germany, on the 5th of this month.

This year's Symphony Orchestra Festival, held amid the difficulties faced by the entire nation due to COVID-19, is designed to convey messages of hope and consolation. The Jeonju Philharmonic and Incheon Philharmonic will perform Elgar's "Nimrod" from the Enigma Variations and Barber's "Adagio for Strings," respectively, both frequently played as memorial pieces. The Suwon Philharmonic will perform Beethoven's Symphony No. 5 "Fate," reflecting the composer's life overcoming adversity. Composer Lee Ji-soo's orchestral work "Sea of the Moon," commissioned by the Wonju Philharmonic Orchestra, will have its world premiere at the 2020 Symphony Orchestra Festival.

Violinists are expected to play a prominent role as soloists this year. Leading the group is Professor Baek Ju-young of Seoul National University, one of Korea's representative violinists. Other featured violinists include Kim Dong-hyun, who placed third in the Tchaikovsky International Competition; Jo Jin-joo, winner of the 2014 Indianapolis International Competition; Song Ji-won, winner of the 2017 Yoon Isang International Competition; Yang In-mo, winner of the Paganini International Violin Competition; and Choi Ye-eun, who actively performs overseas and has received invitations from world-renowned artists such as Anne-Sophie Mutter and Christoph Eschenbach. Pianists Kim Jung-won, Joo Hee-sung, Lim Dong-min, Han Sang-il, and Park Jong-hwa, who are active domestically, will also perform as soloists. Cellists Lee Kang-ho, a professor at Korea National University of Arts, and Lee Sang-eun, winner of the 2018 Yoon Isang International Competition, will fill the summer nights of the festival with cello melodies. The Kalachy String Quartet will collaborate with the Gunpo Prime Philharmonic in a string quartet performance.

Hanwha Group has promised sponsorship despite the difficult economic situation caused by COVID-19, providing significant support for the delayed opening of the Symphony Orchestra Festival. Since 2000, Hanwha Group has maintained its relationship with the festival, holding the record for the longest-running and largest sponsorship amount in the classical music genre in Korea.

The Seoul Arts Center announced plans to livestream this year's Symphony Orchestra Festival online and broadcast it in outdoor spaces at the center, making it a music festival accessible to all citizens. Unlike previous years, performances will also be held on Mondays.

Inquiries and ticket reservations for the Symphony Orchestra Festival can be made through the Seoul Arts Center website, call center (02-580-1300), and Interpark. The Seoul Arts Center stated that the festival will be conducted under strict COVID-19 prevention measures, including temperature checks, health questionnaires, mandatory mask-wearing, and socially distanced seating.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.