'Montreal Symphony's First Korea Visit in 14 Years, Featuring Hillary Hahn and Sunwook Yekwon'

'Young Maestro' Rafael Payare Conducts
Four Performances from July 5-8 in Seoul, Daegu, and Tongyeong

The Montreal Symphony Orchestra, representing Canada, is visiting Korea for the first time in 14 years. This tour marks the first performance since the appointment of Rafael Payare, a conductor from Venezuela's El Sistema, as the new music director. Photo by InArts Production

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The Montreal Symphony Orchestra, representing Canada, is returning to Korea after 14 years. This visit marks the first tour performance since the appointment of Venezuelan El Sistema alumnus conductor Rafael Payare as the new music director.

Rafael Payare, a prot?g? of Gustavo Dudamel and former assistant conductor to Daniel Barenboim and Claudio Abbado, has been receiving worldwide invitations from orchestras after winning the Malko International Conducting Competition. He has captured the attention of the music world by conducting the Vienna Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, and Munich Philharmonic.

The Montreal Symphony Orchestra will hold a total of four performances from July 5 to 8. Starting at Seoul Lotte Concert Hall on the first day, followed by the Seoul Arts Center on the 6th, Daegu Concert House on the 7th, and Tongyeong International Music Hall on the 8th.

The soloists include pianist Sunwoo Yekwon on the first day, and violinist Hilary Hahn performing for the following three days.

Hilary Hahn, a three-time Grammy Award winner known as the 'Empress of 21st Century Violin,' and Sunwoo Yekwon, the first Korean to win the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, will perform Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 1 and Piano Concerto No. 3 for the audience. To ensure the perfection of the collaborative stage, Sunwoo Yekwon personally conducted pre-rehearsals with the orchestra in Montreal, Canada, according to the concert organizer InArts Production.

Founded in 1934, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra has grown into a world-class orchestra under the leadership of renowned conductors such as Zubin Mehta, Rafael Fr?hbeck de Burgos, Charles Dutoit, and Kent Nagano. The orchestra has also been active in recording, winning Grammy Awards in 1996 and 1999 for EMI recordings with pianist Martha Argerich.

An official from InArts Production stated, “There were many unexpected obstacles and difficulties in making the concert happen, and considering the financial aspects, it was a performance that could not have proceeded. However, out of responsibility for the Montreal Symphony Orchestra returning to Korea after 14 years, the concert will proceed without any schedule delays or program reductions.”

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