Korean Symphony to Hold 1st International Conducting Competition in November... 8th Regular Concert Scheduled This Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Park Byung-hee] The Korean Symphony Orchestra (KSO) will hold the 1st KSO International Conducting Competition at the Seoul Arts Center this coming November. To nurture professional orchestra performers, the 'Korean Symphony Orchestra Academy' will also be newly launched.

In the prolonged situation of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Korean Symphony, as an organization under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is undertaking various new projects this year to fulfill its social role. It is starting future development projects in three fields: orchestra members, composition, and conducting.

For 2021, the Korean Symphony adopted the slogan "Ontact, Diverse Enjoyment." It aims to connect musical diversity to provide diverse enjoyment, ensure the sustainability of classical music through connection with future generations, and expand the listening experience through technology.

This year's regular concerts will be held eight times, starting with the New Year's Concert on the 29th. Across these eight concerts, they will perform Tchaikovsky's Symphonies No. 5 and 6, Dukas' Symphony, Brahms' Symphony No. 2, Mahler's Symphony No. 4, Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique, and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10, among others.

Conductors with diverse styles will lead the regular concerts. The New Year's Concert will be conducted by KSO's Artistic Director Jeong Chi-yong, who plans to convey New Year's hope with Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 1 "Winter Daydreams."

Following regular concerts will feature 'Hong Seok-won,' who was the first Korean to serve as principal conductor at the Tirol State Theatre in Innsbruck, Austria in 2015; 'Mathieu Herzog,' a conductor, violist, composer, and opera librettist; 'James Tuggle,' former music director of the Stuttgart Ballet known for his intriguing interpretations; 'Guy Braunstein,' who completed the Simon Rattle era as the youngest concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic for 13 years; 'Dennis Russell Davies,' renowned for his outstanding interpretation of composer Isang Yun; 'Finnegan Downie Dear,' winner of the 2020 Mahler International Conducting Competition with excellent opera interpretations; and 'Mikhail Agrest,' who continues the Russian conducting lineage.

The 1st KSO International Conducting Competition will be held from November 9 to 14 around the Seoul Arts Center. The competition is planned to be held every three years, and the winner will receive the privilege to conduct the Korean Symphony's regular concert the following year along with a prize of 50 million KRW. Candidates aged 23 to 35, regardless of nationality, can participate, with applications starting in May.

The 'Korean Symphony Orchestra Academy,' an educational platform for multifaceted understanding of orchestra music, will also be newly introduced. To nurture professional orchestra performers, it aims to provide comprehensive education beyond university training, including orchestra performance techniques, ensemble training, and holistic education for musicians' growth. This is a two-year mid- to long-term project, offering selected academy members masterclass opportunities with visiting foreign conductors and collaborators for KSO's regular performances. Additionally, participants will engage in diverse orchestra music from symphony and opera to ballet and chamber music, with personal coaching programs from KSO concertmasters and principals.

Fifteen members will be selected across all sections, with monthly practice allowances provided to those chosen. Anyone under 28 years old who has graduated from university can apply. Outstanding graduates of the academy will receive exemption from the first practical audition and fixed guest member status upon joining the Korean Symphony. The application process is expected to take place in February.

A new composer development program, the 'Composers' Atelier,' will also begin. Since 2014, the Korean Symphony has discovered composers such as Kim Taek-su, Lee Soo-yeon, and Park Myung-hoon through its resident composer system. The 'Composers' Atelier' is a mid- to long-term composer development system designed to supplement the weak activity base of classical composers and revitalize classical composition. Held biennially, Kim Taek-su, the Korean Symphony's inaugural resident composer, will participate as program director, providing mentoring and lectures with tailored support for creative activities over two years. This year, five emerging composers will be selected, and the top composer during the activity period will serve as the Korean Symphony's resident composer for two years. The first round of applications held late last year saw a competition rate of 5 to 1, with new composers to be selected in January.

Additionally, the Korean Symphony is preparing for the rapidly changing concert viewing culture by conducting 4K video recording and three-dimensional multi-channel sound recording at every performance to build a high-quality archive. Based on this archive, they will introduce evolved services such as '3D Surround Sound Listening Sessions' to expand audiences in response to the rapidly changing concert environment. As content consumption platforms shift to mobile and web, efforts to broaden the base of classical music will also be diversified.