Nurturing Young Musical Talent... Lotte Department Store Recruits for "Lotte Kids Orchestra 2026"

From Dresden Staatskapelle Master Classes to the Lotte Concert Hall Stage
Introducing the New 'LKO Young Artist' Program

Lotte Department Store announced on April 15 that it is recruiting members for the industry’s only classical music nurturing program for children, the "Lotte Kids Orchestra 2026."

The "Lotte Kids Orchestra" is a Mecenat (corporate arts sponsorship) program that provides free professional music education to children with musical potential, supporting their growth into global classical artists. The program offers a high-quality curriculum, including one-on-one coaching sessions led directly by members of world-renowned orchestras such as the Vienna Philharmonic and the Berlin Philharmonic. Since its launch in 2023, it has gained immense popularity, with the cumulative number of applicants reaching 3,000.

This year, the recruitment is open to students from second grade of elementary school to second grade of middle school (born between 2012 and 2018), with a total of double-digit members to be selected. Applicants can apply for a total of 13 instruments across strings (violin, viola, cello, and double bass), woodwinds (flute, oboe, bassoon, and clarinet), brass (horn, trumpet, trombone, and tuba), and percussion, and the orchestra will be formed with these members.

Applications must be submitted online. From April 17 to May 11, applicants should submit a performance video and an application form via the Lotte Department Store app, completing their application. The second round will be conducted in person from May 23 to 24, and the final successful candidates will be announced at the end of May.

The selected members will receive top-tier professional training at a global standard. The orchestra will be led by conductor Minhyung Lee, who won the "Ernest Read Young Conductor Award" in London and serves as the overall music director, along with Seongju Lee, honorary professor at Korea National University of Arts and winner of the New York Wieniawski Competition, who acts as advisor. In addition, active professional musicians will provide instrumental coaching for each section.

Furthermore, members will have the opportunity to take a "master class" from Germany’s Dresden Staatskapelle, one of the oldest and most prestigious orchestras in the world. They will learn instrumental techniques directly from an elite ensemble composed of Staatskapelle’s most promising young principal players. In addition, there will be time dedicated to building "ensemble skills," considered essential for growth as a professional performer.

Afterwards, the members plan to showcase a classical performance in August at "Lotte Concert Hall," a venue often described as the stage of every performer’s dreams. Following three months of systematic education—including one-on-one coaching, group ensemble sessions, and master classes—they will experience a real-life performance stage.

This year, the "LKO (LOTTE KIDS ORCHESTRA) Young Artist Program" will be introduced for the first time. This new initiative has been established to ensure that participation in the Lotte Kids Orchestra can become not just an "experience" but a true "career credential." Among past members, students who are dedicated to pursuing a path in classical music will be selected and given the opportunity to perform as a "soloist" at the concert scheduled for August. Over the past three years, members of the Lotte Kids Orchestra have achieved notable accomplishments on the global stage as K-classical artists, including becoming the youngest winner at the International Clarinet Association (ICA) Competition and the first Korean winner at the International Society of Bassists (ISB) Competition. Taking these achievements into account, the program has been designed to provide ongoing support for members as they develop their careers.

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