Seoul Spring Chamber Music Festival Held from 10th to 16th at Seoul Arts Center and Yun Boseon Old House
[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] "This year's festival seems it will be very emotional. I hope that both performers and audiences can feel the desire to rediscover lost music."
Kang Dong-seok, Artistic Director of the Seoul Spring Chamber Music Festival (SSF), expressed his hope that this year's SSF would embody the aspiration to overcome the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).
The 2020 SSF will be held from October 10 to 16 at the Seoul Arts Center, Yeongsan Art Hall, Yun Boseon Old House, and Ilsin Hall. After many twists and turns due to COVID-19, this year's SSF stage has been arranged with difficulty. SSF is usually held in spring during April or May, but this year’s opening was postponed to autumn. The festival period, which used to last about ten days, has been shortened compared to previous years, and the number of seats has been drastically reduced.
In fact, this year holds special significance for SSF in many ways. Starting in 2006 with the motto "Friendship through Music," it marks its 15th anniversary this year. It is also the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth. Artistic Director Kang originally planned to grandly prepare this year’s SSF under the title "Ode to Joy." "Ode to Joy" is the title of the fourth movement of Beethoven’s final Symphony No. 9 "Choral." It reflected the intention to honor Beethoven and celebrate SSF’s 15th anniversary. However, due to COVID-19 forcing a reduction in the festival scale, the "Ode to Joy" stage was postponed to next year.
Artistic Director Kang Dong-seok said, "'Ode to Joy' as a theme will be postponed to 2021," adding, "There will inevitably be some changes next year, but we will try to maintain the same program that we prepared this year."
Artistic Director Kang said, "Although the main celebratory events commemorating Beethoven’s birth will be held next year, we have symbolically planned one Beethoven program." On October 11 at Yeongsan Art Hall, a concert titled "Happy Birthday Ludwig" will feature three Beethoven pieces. The Abel Quartet will perform Beethoven’s String Quartet No. 11 "Serioso," and Kang Dong-seok, a violist, will perform Beethoven’s Serenade for String Trio together with violist Lee Hanna and cellist Moon Taeguk. Finally, pianist Moon Ji-young, violinist Kim Dami, and cellist Lee Jeong-ran will present Beethoven’s Piano Trio No. 7 "Archduke."
A stage reflecting on the 15th anniversary will also be prepared. Artistic Director Kang said, "We will introduce highlights from the 2014, 2016, and 2017 festivals, which were not covered in the 2015 SSF 10th anniversary retrospective." On the opening day, October 10, a stage looking back at 2014 will be held, and the stage reflecting on 2017 will be prepared on the final closing day. On October 12, a concert looking back at 2016 will be held outdoors at the Yun Boseon Old House in the form of an open-air concert.
Artistic Director Kang emphasized, "Sustaining a chamber music festival for 15 years is a remarkable achievement." He said, "It is regrettable that due to COVID-19, we had to reduce the scale of this year’s festival and change the performance program," adding, "I hope that next year, normal conditions will be restored so that SSF can once again present new artists and repertoires and attract new audiences."
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