Massimo Zanetti "Looking Forward to Beethoven Piano Concerto with Young Korean Performers"

Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra's 'Five for Five' Series Performing Complete Beethoven Piano Concertos

Massimo Zanetti, Artistic Director of the 경기 Philharmonic Orchestra.

[Asia Economy Reporter Donghyun Choi] "Despite the difficult situation caused by COVID-19, I wanted to plan a concert where I could collaborate with unique and young rising stars in Korea."

Massimo Zanetti, Artistic Director of the Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra, stated this at a press conference held on the 19th at a restaurant in Jung-gu, Seoul. Director Zanetti said, "Although last year marked the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth, opportunities to perform his music were very limited due to the impact of COVID-19," adding, "I am very pleased to introduce Beethoven's piano concertos through this opportunity."

The Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra will hold a series of performances featuring all five Beethoven piano concertos over fifteen days from the 24th of this month to the 8th of next month. The concerts are organized into three series, with two performances per series.

The first series, 'Five For Five I,' will take place on the 24th at Seongnam Arts Center in Bundang-gu, Seongnam City, and on the 26th at Lotte Concert Hall in Songpa-gu, Seoul. The second series, 'Five For Five II,' will be held on May 1st at Gyeonggi Arts Center in Paldal-gu, Suwon City, and on May 2nd at Goyang Aram Nuri in Ilsandong-gu, Goyang City. Lastly, 'Five For Five III' will be performed on May 7th at the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul, and on May 8th at the Grand Theater of Gyeonggi Arts Center.

This concert series will be led by young emerging pianists. Seon-yul, Jeong Ji-won, Yoon Ah-in, Park Jae-hong, and Lim Joo-hee are set to showcase the essence of Beethoven's pianism.

The vibrant Piano Concerto No. 1 from Beethoven's youth will be performed by Seon-yul; the musically playful No. 2 by Jeong Ji-won; the No. 3, where Beethoven found his unique compositional voice, by Yoon Ah-in. Additionally, Park Jae-hong will perform the No. 4, which opened a new chapter in piano concertos, and Lim Joo-hee will collaborate on Beethoven's greatest masterpiece, the No. 5 'Emperor,' which concludes this grand journey.

Besides the complete Beethoven piano concertos, the program consists solely of Beethoven's works, including the Overture to Prometheus, the Coriolan Overture, Romances No. 1 and 2, and Symphony No. 7. This series is a continuation of the 'Complete Beethoven Cycle' that began in 2019.

Artistic Director Massimo Zanetti expressed, "Young performers have lost their stages amid the tragedy of COVID-19," and added, "The Gyeonggi Philharmonic will provide performance opportunities for them and play a role in widely promoting young artists."