'The Symphony Festival with Hanwha' Kicks Off... 21 Symphony Orchestras Participate

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyewon] The '2021 Symphony Festival with Hanwha,' established as the oldest and most splendid classical music festival in Asia as well as Korea, will open on the 30th with the inaugural performance by the Seongnam City Symphony Orchestra.

According to Hanwha on the 28th, the Symphony Festival with Hanwha, held at the Seoul Arts Center until the 22nd of next month, will feature a total of 21 performances with top-tier conductors and orchestras from home and abroad, filling spring evenings with high-quality classical melodies.

Despite many classical performances being canceled due to COVID-19, Hanwha Group and the Arts Center decided to hold the festival to deliver messages of hope and comfort to the public and the cultural and artistic community during these difficult times.

This year, 21 symphony orchestras nationwide will participate, marking the largest scale since the 2012 performance.

For audience members entering the concert hall, strict COVID-19 social distancing and quarantine guidelines will be applied, including spaced seating, limits on the number of attendees, temperature checks, and mandatory mask-wearing during performances.

For those who could not obtain tickets or attend the concert hall, a non-face-to-face live viewing service will also be provided. All performances of the Symphony Festival with Hanwha will be broadcast live via Naver Performance Live. A 400-inch large monitor will be installed on the outdoor stage of the Arts Center to allow audiences to enjoy the performances.

Social distancing due to COVID-19 has brought changes to orchestral performances as well. While large-scale orchestral pieces with full sound overwhelming the audience are prepared, this year’s performances feature many small ensemble pieces by reducing instrument arrangements and newly rearranging compositions. A diverse repertoire will be performed, ranging from classical works by Mozart and Mendelssohn to Haydn and contemporary composers.

Hanwha Symphony Festival Continues for 22 Years, Leading the Popularization of Classical Music... A Total of 1,024 Pieces Performed and 520,000 Cumulative Audience

The Symphony Festival with Hanwha is a stage where symphony orchestras from across the country gather to showcase their performance skills. It is an event where orchestras from various regions compete for pride in both popularity and performance ability, also serving as a gateway for emerging performers.

It also contributes to the popularization of classical music. Ticket prices range from 10,000 to 50,000 KRW, about half the price of typical orchestra performances. The industry regards this as the result of the Seoul Arts Center’s excellent planning, the talent-donation participation of performers, and Hanwha’s continuous sponsorship working in harmony.

The relationship between Hanwha and the Symphony Festival dates back over 20 years. When the festival faced the risk of suspension due to companies hesitating to sponsor amid the aftermath of the foreign exchange crisis, Hanwha voluntarily took on sponsorship. Hanwha has continued its sponsorship for 22 years since 2000.

From 2000, when Hanwha began sponsorship, until last year, a total of 351 performances were held, featuring 353 symphony orchestras and 399 soloists (teams) performing 1,024 pieces. During this period, the cumulative audience reached 520,000.

Considering that most classical sponsorships are one-time or short-term, Hanwha’s 22-year continuous sponsorship of the Symphony Festival is regarded as a model of exemplary win-win cooperation between arts organizations and corporations. As a token of appreciation, the Seoul Arts Center appointed Chairman Kim Seung-yeon as the 'First Lifetime Member of the Seoul Arts Center' in 2009, marking the 10th year of sponsorship. In 2019, the 20th year of sponsorship, a commemorative plaque was created and installed on the lobby wall of the Music Hall in a dedication ceremony. Last year, although the festival was nearly canceled due to COVID-19, the collaboration between Hanwha and the Arts Center moved the event to August and held it under strict quarantine rules, maintaining the festival’s legacy.

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