On June 10-11 at Lotte Concert Hall
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 and Symphony No. 3
Kim Eun-sun, music director of the San Francisco Opera (SFO), who made headlines with her debut on the stage of the Berlin Philharmonic's regular concert last April, will conduct the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) at Lotte Concert Hall on the 10th and 11th of this month. This will be Kim Eun-sun's first time conducting the SPO in two years. Kim Eun-sun and the SPO will perform Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 3 and Piano Concerto No. 3. The world-renowned pianist Steven Hough will join as soloist for the Piano Concerto No. 3.
Kim Eun-sun gained attention last April as the first Asian woman to conduct the Berlin Philharmonic. The Berlin Philharmonic is considered one of the world's top orchestras alongside the Vienna Philharmonic. At that time, Kim Eun-sun also performed Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 3 with the Berlin Philharmonic.
Eun-sun Kim, Music Director of San Francisco Opera [Photo provided by Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, (c)Kim Tae-hwan]
Kim Eun-sun is also the first female and Asian music director in the 100-year history of the prestigious San Francisco Opera. She first gained recognition by winning the Jes?s L?pez Cobos Opera Conducting Competition in Spain in 2008. In 2010, she became the first woman to wield the baton at the Royal Opera House in Madrid, Spain, and in 2018, she was appointed principal guest conductor of the Houston Grand Opera. The following year, she was appointed the first female music director of the San Francisco Opera, and in 2021, she was honored as one of the "Rising Stars of the Year" by The New York Times. Her guest conducting with the Berlin Philharmonic last April marked the second time for a Korean after Myung-whun Chung and the first time for an Asian woman.
Pianist Steven Hough, who will perform Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3, will collaborate with the SPO for the fourth time. Hough previously performed Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1 in 2017, and in 2021, he performed Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" and Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the SPO.
Hough was named one of the "20 Living Polymaths" by The Economist in 2009 and is active as a pianist, composer, and writer. He was the first classical musician to receive the MacArthur Fellowship in 2001, an award given to individuals who have made significant contributions in their fields, and in 2022, he was knighted by the Queen of the United Kingdom for his contributions to music. To date, he has recorded over 70 albums and released more than 30 original compositions, earning prestigious awards such as the Diapason and Gramophone Awards.
The Piano Concerto No. 3, which Hough will perform, reflects Rachmaninoff's transcendental will to surpass his limits as a pianist. It demands the highest level of technical skill, dramatic artistry, immense energy, and stamina from the performer. The performance lasts about 40 minutes, with the distinctive Russian sensibility permeating the overall melody. It begins with a deeply melancholic and somber theme, then concludes brilliantly with a lyrical yet passionate melody, showcasing Rachmaninoff's unique romantic narrative. This piece was also performed by pianist Lim Yoon-chan during the finals of the 2022 Van Cliburn Competition.
Symphony No. 3 offers a glimpse into Rachmaninoff's mature compositional world. It is one of the few works he composed after emigrating to the United States, written after completing the "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" in Lucerne, Switzerland, in 1934. It is Rachmaninoff's last symphony and is uniquely structured in three movements.
Kim Eun-sun explained, "Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 3 is not frequently performed, but it is a work that showcases the composer's exceptional abilities not only through his passionate and romantic melodies but also in its compositional form, such as incorporating a scherzo into the slow middle movement and making changes in orchestration." She added, "The piece involves many tempo changes throughout, and it is important for the orchestra and conductor to breathe and sing together with a deep understanding of the work. When I performed with the SPO two years ago, Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 3 came to mind as a piece I wanted to perform again, and I am very much looking forward to creating music together with the SPO once more."
Tickets range from 10,000 to 120,000 KRW depending on seat grade and can be purchased through the SPO website and call center. SPO website members can receive a 10% discount for up to four tickets per person, and members up to age 24 are eligible for a 40% discount for themselves.
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