2021 Symphony Festival with Hanwha Concludes

[Asia Economy Reporter Hwang Yoon-joo] The '2021 Symphony Festival with Hanwha,' established as the oldest and most splendid classical festival in Korea and Asia, successfully concluded on the 22nd with a performance by the KBS Symphony Orchestra.

Held at the Seoul Arts Center from March 30 to the 22nd of this month, the Symphony Festival with Hanwha featured a total of 21 performances by top-tier domestic and international conductors and orchestras, filling spring evenings with high-quality classical melodies.

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

This year’s performances strengthened quarantine measures and provided non-face-to-face services so audiences could enjoy the concerts from the comfort of their homes. For attendees entering the concert hall, strict quarantine guidelines were applied, including spaced seating to limit audience numbers, temperature checks, and mandatory mask-wearing during performances. A non-face-to-face live viewing service was also offered for citizens who could not obtain tickets or visit the venue.

The interest from classical music lovers was intense. Ten out of the 21 performances were sold out, and about 20,000 people visited the Arts Center during the festival period. Additionally, 150,000 viewers watched the performances live via TV or smartphones.

The Symphony Festival with Hanwha is a stage where symphony orchestras from across the country gather to showcase their performance skills. It also plays a significant role as a gateway for emerging musicians.

It has greatly contributed to popularizing classical music. Ticket prices ranged from 10,000 to 50,000 KRW, about half the price of regular performances. This was the result of the Arts Center’s excellent planning, the participating artists’ talent-donation style involvement, and Hanwha’s continuous sponsorship.

The relationship between Hanwha and the Symphony Festival dates back over 20 years to 2000. Amid the aftermath of the foreign exchange crisis, when companies were reluctant to sponsor and the festival faced possible suspension, Hanwha voluntarily stepped forward to provide sponsorship. Since Hanwha began sponsoring, up to last year, 353 symphony orchestras and 399 soloists (teams) have performed on stage, playing 1,024 pieces. The cumulative audience reached 520,000.

Meanwhile, in 2009, marking the 10th year of sponsorship, the Arts Center appointed Chairman Kim Seung-yeon as the 'First Lifetime Member of the Arts Center.' In 2019, the 20th year of sponsorship, a commemorative plaque was created and unveiled on the lobby wall of the Music Hall.

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