Seong-Jin Cho Collaborates with Simon Rattle Conducting the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra

On November 20-21 at Lotte Concert Hall
Collaboration on Brahms and Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 2

Legendary maestro Sir Simon Rattle and pianist Cho Seong-jin will perform together at Lotte Concert Hall this November.

Concert planning company Vincero announced on the 27th that the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, which welcomed Sir Rattle as its new chief conductor, will visit Korea for the first time in six years and perform with Cho Seong-jin at Lotte Concert Hall on November 20-21.

Seong-Jin Cho [Photo by Vincero, (c) Christoph Koestlin]

Sir Rattle succeeded Mariss Jansons, who passed away in 2019, as the chief conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra starting from the 2023-2024 season.

The performance on the first day, the 20th, will be entirely filled with works by Brahms. The first piece features Cho Seong-jin collaborating on Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 2. Following that, in the second half, Brahms' Symphony No. 2, beloved for its pastoral atmosphere and often called Brahms' Pastoral Symphony, will be performed.

On the 21st, a diverse program spanning different eras, a strength of Sir Rattle, will be presented. The first piece is Six Pieces for Orchestra by the contemporary composer Anton Webern, followed by Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2, a classical work. Finally, in the second half, Bruckner's Symphony No. 9 will be performed.

Tickets for the first day’s performance on the 20th will be available for reservation from 2 PM on the 28th, and tickets for the second day’s performance on the 21st will be available from 2 PM on the 29th through Lotte Concert Hall and Interpark.

The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, which welcomed Sir Rattle as its new chief conductor, will perform six times in Japan (November 23 in Hyogo, November 24 in Kawasaki, November 26-28 in Tokyo, and November 29 in Nagoya) and four times in Taiwan (December 1-2 in Taipei, December 4 in Taichung, and December 5 in Kaohsiung) following their Korea concerts. Cho Seong-jin will be the sole soloist for the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra’s Asia tour, performing on the stages in Japan and Taiwan as well.

Simon Rattle [Photo by Vincero, (c) Astrid Ackermann]

Sir Rattle served as the chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic from 2002 to 2018 and was the music director of the London Symphony Orchestra from 2017 to 2023. He currently maintains a relationship with the London Symphony Orchestra as its honorary conductor.

Sir Rattle is known to have admired the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra since his youth. He first conducted the Bavarian Radio Choir and Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2010 for a performance of Schumann’s oratorio , and has maintained a close relationship with the orchestra since then.

The recording of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 9 by the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra under Sir Rattle’s baton last year received the Diapason d’Or and was selected as a Gramophone Editor’s Choice. Additionally, Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 received both the Gramophone Editor’s Choice and the German Record Critics’ Award. The Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1949 and is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year.

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