Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra Regular Concert on 14-15: 'Dvo??k Cello Concerto'

Cellist Kian Soltani's First Collaboration
Slovenian Conductor Marko Letonja
Also 'Prokofiev Symphony No. 5'

The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) will perform Dvo??k's Cello Concerto at its regular concerts held on the 14th and 15th at the Lotte Concert Hall.

The conductor will be Marco Letonja, who collaborated with the SPO in 2018 and 2022. The soloist is Kian Soltani, a cellist representing Deutsche Grammophon and the 2023?2024 Focus Artist of the Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich.

Cellist Kian Soltani [Photo by Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra]

Soltani will be performing with the SPO for the first time. He received acclaim for his recording of Dvo??k's Cello Concerto with the Berlin Staatskapelle conducted by Daniel Barenboim. This year marks the 120th anniversary of Dvo??k's passing.

Dvo??k's Cello Concerto is a piece that exquisitely blends romantic melodies with virtuosic techniques, allowing the unique charm of the cello to shine through. Dvo??k composed this work during his tenure as director of the National Conservatory of Music in New York. He expressed his inspiration from the vast nature of the New World through grand musical ideas, while his nostalgia for his homeland, Czechia, is conveyed through touching delicate melodies. Additionally, the concerto incorporates elements inspired by Bohemian folk dances and African American spirituals, highlighting a rich variety of tonal colors.

In the second half, Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5 will be performed.

Prokofiev's Symphony No. 5 was composed during World War II with the motivation of "a hymn to a free and happy human being, their mighty power, and pure and noble soul." It embodies victory and joy achieved after enduring the hardships and sorrows of war. Musically, it features rich and distinctive melodies combined with unique and sharp harmonic techniques, showcasing Prokofiev's original symphonic world.

Conductor Marco Letonya [Photo provided by Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra]

Marco Letonja, the conductor, is from Slovenia and currently serves as the music director of the Bremen Philharmonic Orchestra in Germany. He first visited Korea in 2017 with the Strasbourg Philharmonic. The album he recorded with the Strasbourg Philharmonic and tenor Michael Spyres was selected as one of the top 10 classical albums by The Times in 2021 and won the Gramophone Vocal Album of the Year award in 2022. Last year, he returned to Korea leading the Bremen Philharmonic, performing works by Brahms.

Tickets can be purchased through the SPO website and call center. SPO website members can receive a 10% discount for up to 4 tickets per person, and members aged up to 24 can receive a 40% discount for themselves.

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