Minister Park Bo-gyun: "K-Classic Success Depends on Talent Development and Policy Support"

Sumi Jo and Seoul Arts Center President Hold Public-Private Expert Meeting in Classical Music Field
Strengthening Classical Music Promotion through Overseas Korean Cultural Centers
Enhancing Talent Development Projects in Vulnerable Areas

A forum was held to explore the development direction of K-Classic, which is sweeping major international competitions worldwide, and to share expert opinions.

Soprano Jo Sumi is speaking at the K-Classic Experts Meeting held on the 12th at the IBK Chamber Hall, Seoul Arts Center, Seocho-gu, Seoul.
[Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]

On the 12th, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism held the 'K-Classic Expert Roundtable' at the IBK Chamber Hall of the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Attendees included Minister Park Bo-gyun of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, soprano Jo Sumi, who recently served as a judge for the Queen Elisabeth Competition, Yang Ji-hoon, Executive Director of the Kumho Cultural Foundation, Lee Sung-joo, Director of the Korea National Institute for Gifted Education in the Arts, Jang Hyung-jun, President of the Seoul Arts Center, Choi Sang-ho, Director of the National Opera Company of Korea, Choi Jin, record producer and tonmeister, and Han Jeong-ho, CEO of Etoile Classic, among other public and private stakeholders.

Minister Park stated, “Now that the status of K-Culture has risen higher than ever, the importance of policy support to back the global activities of K-Classic and the nurturing of talent to lead this movement has become clearer. We hope to systematically implement development policies for K-Classic based on freedom and solidarity so that our musicians can write a new chapter in the history of K-Culture.”

Soprano Jo Sumi said, “It is both grateful and important that the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism personally engages with experts to consider the development of the classical music scene and its musicians. I hope that the various measures discussed today will be realized in the field so that K-Classic musicians can perform on the global stage with our own spirit, brilliance, color, and pride as Korean musicians.”

Jang Hyung-jun, President of the Seoul Arts Center, said, “We will strive to expand the domestic and international base of K-Classic through introducing emerging musicians via the Inchun Art Hall Special Series and producing and distributing high-quality performance videos represented by Sac on Screen.”

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Park Bo-gyun is speaking at the K-Classic Experts Meeting held on the 12th at the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul. Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Image source: Yonhap News.

At the roundtable, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism reviewed its K-Classic promotion policies and discussed discovering new policy projects such as strengthening support for overseas expansion. The ministry plans to expand overseas activities of national arts organizations so that K-Classic musicians can continue artistic creation and expression on the global stage. To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Korea-US alliance, the National Choir will present Korean art songs conveying the importance of peace in three US cities this September. The National Opera Company will hold a showcase next year in Europe, the birthplace of opera, to introduce Korean vocalists to overseas performance stakeholders. Local auditions for the National Opera Company’s works will also be held for domestic and international vocalists.

Korean Cultural Centers abroad will also expand stages for our musicians. The New York Korean Cultural Center co-hosted soprano Park Hye-sang’s recital at Carnegie Hall (March) and cellist Choi Ha-young’s New York concert (May). To mark the 60th anniversary of Korea-EU diplomatic relations, concert series will be held at Korean Cultural Centers in EU member countries in the second half of this year.

Furthermore, Korean Cultural Centers abroad will strengthen their practical role as bridges connecting overseas music industry stakeholders and our musicians. Considering the overseas music industry’s casting system centered on specialized agencies (performance and management agencies) by category, the ministry plans to produce K-Classic portfolios by category?instrumental, vocal, conducting, composition?from 2024 and distribute them to various countries through Korean Cultural Centers abroad so that local agencies and major performance venues can easily access the latest information on our musicians.

Plans were also discussed to develop leading domestic music festivals as hubs for spreading K-Classic overseas and as cultural tourism resources. The ministry intends to expand the invitation program for overseas stakeholders from traditional arts to classical music, inviting major overseas agents to prominent domestic international music festivals and actively introducing next-generation musicians.

Park Bo-gyun, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is speaking at the K-Classic Experts Meeting held on the 12th at the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho-gu, Seoul. [Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism] [Image source=Yonhap News]

The Seoul Arts Center and national music organizations will collaborate with classical music video producers and tonmeisters (record producers and engineers) to produce high-quality performance video content so that anyone can access classical music without time and space constraints. Distribution networks will also be expanded to global platforms such as Germany’s Unitel and Deutsche Grammophon, as well as domestic IPTV telecommunications companies.

Talent development projects were also a key topic, aimed at helping young people who have chosen music as a profession?such as orchestra members, opera lead and supporting roles, ensembles, and conductors?get closer to their dreams. The National Opera Company provides intensive training as opera artists by offering regular and planned performance opportunities to participants of the National Opera Studio. Launched in 2021, the National Opera Studio is a professional training program for opera experts that produced Kim Tae-han, winner of the Queen Elisabeth Competition, and Jeong In-ho, who placed fifth, this year. The National Symphony International Orchestra Academy, targeting domestic and international instrumental majors, will continue to expand participants and diversify programs.

Measures to expand support in previously under-supported fields were also discussed. The National Symphony will discover new faces to shine on future podiums through the 2nd National Symphony Orchestra International Conducting Competition in 2024. The Seoul Arts Center Music Gifted Academy plans to open a woodwind program this year and brass and string trio, quartet, and quintet programs next year.