Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra Performs Mahler's Symphony 'Titan' Conducted by Conductor Kim Sun-wook

Mark Bushkoff, Sibelius Violin Concerto Collaboration

The Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra will perform 'Gyeonggi Phil Masters Series II ? Mahler Symphony No. 1' at the Gyeonggi Arts Center Grand Theater on the 23rd and at the Lotte Concert Hall on the 24th.

Under the baton of Kim Sun-wook, Artistic Director of the Gyeonggi Phil, the orchestra will perform Sibelius' Violin Concerto and Mahler's Symphony No. 1 "Titan."

This is the first time conductor Kim Sun-wook will perform Mahler's Symphony No. 1. Composed by Mahler at the age of 29, Symphony No. 1 is the foundation and basis of his other symphonies. While it is often regarded as an "introductory Mahler" piece that is relatively more accessible compared to his other symphonies, it also receives contrasting evaluations as the most difficult among Mahler's symphonies.

Conductor Kim Sun-wook performed Beethoven's most challenging Symphony No. 3 in Masters Series I, and for 'Masters Series II,' he chose Mahler's most difficult Symphony No. 1.

Kim Sun-wook said, "Mahler's Symphony No. 1 is a piece I used to study by looking at the score and playing on the piano when I dreamed of becoming a conductor as a child. It is a moment when a long-held 'dream' comes true and at the same time the first gateway to entering Mahler's musical world."

The Sibelius Violin Concerto will be performed in collaboration with Belgian violinist Mark Bushkov, who has Russian-Ukrainian heritage. Bushkov won the Montreal International Competition and was the runner-up at the Tchaikovsky International Violin Competition. He currently serves as a professor at the Royal Conservatory of Li?ge in Belgium and the Liechtenstein International Music Academy.

Sibelius, who dreamed of becoming a violinist, left behind only one violin concerto. The work reveals elements that form the foundation of Sibelius' music, such as the high-pitched treatment of string instruments, frequent use of timpani, and intense sound effects throughout the piece.