Conductor Adriel Kim Debuts in Japan Following Myung-Whun Chung

"Asia Music Exchange Venue, Expectations Outweigh Burdens"
Japan Takeda Chamber Orchestra Invited to Kyushu... Conducting Joint Korea-China-Japan Stage

On the 24th, conductor Adriel Kim, who is preparing for his debut in Japan with a joint performance of Korean, Chinese, and Japanese artists invited by the Taketa Chamber Orchestra Kyushu on the 29th, gave an interview at Cafe Seongbuk-ro in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Japan is a powerhouse in classical music, holding 20% of the global market share. Tokyo hosts the highest number of orchestra performances worldwide. Japan’s annual classical music audience is approximately 4 million, meticulously following not only overseas performances but also those of thirty-two domestic orchestras. Due to this passionate interest, symphony orchestras and performers strive hard to enter the Japanese stage. Conductor Adriel Kim will make his debut on the Japanese stage on the 29th after a long wait. He calmly expressed, "I feel more anticipation than pressure."

Adriel Kim will conduct a joint performance featuring artists from Korea, China, and Japan, invited by the Taketa Chamber Orchestra Kyushu in Japan. Few Korean musicians have performed on Japanese stages, and despite the close proximity, active exchanges have been limited. Notably, the only Korean conductor to debut in Japan was Myung-whun Chung.

Adriel Kim said, "While studying in Vienna, I often saw musicians in the European cultural sphere freely exchanging and performing," adding, "I have often wondered why musical exchanges between countries in Asia are not more active." He continued, "This performance will feature a Korean conductor, a Japanese orchestra, and a Chinese soloist, and I expect it to become a platform for musical exchange in Asia."

Adriel Kim conducting on stage. Photo by Orchestra The Original

He has experience performing on the Chinese stage, having been invited to the Shanghai International Arts Festival in 2014. Adriel Kim said, "I thought, ‘Soon I will be able to perform on the Japanese stage,’ but the opportunity did not come for a while." Regarding the Chinese market, he evaluated, "The classical music market in Asia developed relatively late, but its growth is the most explosive."

According to data released by Music China Expo in 2018, China’s music education market size is 100 billion yuan (approximately 18.825 trillion KRW), the largest in the world. The instrument market is also 44.8 billion yuan (approximately 8.4376 trillion KRW), ranking second after the United States.

At this performance, Adriel Kim will present an orchestral arrangement of Rentaro Taki’s widely known Japanese folk song “Hakone 80-ri (箱根八里).” He explained, "After receiving the conducting offer in Japan, there was a suggestion that performing a nationally beloved song in orchestral form would be meaningful for cultural exchange between the two countries. I thought it was a good idea and took on the arrangement myself." Adriel Kim added, "Japanese folk songs adopted Western classical forms when Western classical culture entered in the late 19th century, interpreting and composing them independently, so they felt unfamiliar. I focused on reinterpreting the beauty of the piece, which depicts the scenery of 80 ri from Hakone to Mishima in Tokyo."

On the 24th, conductor Adriel Kim, who is preparing for his debut in Japan with a joint performance of Korean, Chinese, and Japanese artists invited by the Taketa Chamber Orchestra Kyushu on the 29th, gave an interview at Cafe Seongbuk-ro in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jinhyung Kang aymsdream@

One of the strengths of Japanese orchestras is their precision and attention to detail. Adriel Kim expressed high expectations. He said, "Since there is strong national interest in classical music, the orchestra style pursues precise and profound performances. I think the process of finding common ground with my style, which advocates freely enjoying music, will be interesting."

Adriel Kim started as a violinist, attending Yewon School and then going abroad to Austria in his first year at Seoul Arts High School. He double-majored in conducting and violin at the University of Music and Performing Arts Vienna. He gained recognition as a conductor by winning awards at the Franco Capuana European Union Opera Conducting Competition and the Jorma Panula International Conducting Competition. Conductor Kim said, "I became interested in conducting while enjoying symphony and opera recordings. I unexpectedly passed the master’s conducting entrance exam, and conducting became my major as if by fate." He recalled, "In my first year of the master’s program, while conducting a Mozart symphony, I sensed that the moment the orchestra members responded to my fingertips and that communication led to the performance, conducting would be my future path."

Even during the period when activities were restricted due to COVID-19, Adriel Kim turned the crisis into an opportunity by founding the orchestra The Original. Interested in the Asian stage, he confidently stated, "With K-content like ‘Squid Game’ and ‘Parasite’ leading the global market, I am proud that Korean performers and conductors are of world-class level, recognized even in Europe, the birthplace of classical music." He added, "I hope my debut stage in Japan will serve as a catalyst for young Korean performers and also become an opportunity for more active cultural exchange between the two countries, beyond political and historical issues."

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