Gyeonggi-do 2024 DMZ OPEN International Music Festival Opens on the 9th

Festival Unfolds Over 8 Days Until the 16th at Goyang Aram Nuri
Conveying Messages of Ecology, Peace, and Harmony Through Music
Opening with 'Arirang Fantasy' by North Korean Composer Choi Seonghwan

The Gyeonggi-do DMZ OPEN International Music Festival, which conveys messages of ecology, environment, peace, and harmony through music, opened on the 9th at Goyang Aram Nuri Aram Music Hall.

Conductor Leo? Sv?rovsk?. Courtesy of Gyeonggi Province

According to Gyeonggi-do on the 10th, the DMZ OPEN International Music Festival, held at Goyang Aram Nuri from that day until the 16th, is a classical music festival featuring top domestic and international artists centered around the theme of the DMZ.

The opening performance on the 9th featured the KBS Symphony Orchestra (conducted by Leos Svarovsky) and pianist Baek Gun-woo, presenting Arirang Fantasy (arranged by Choi Seong-hwan), Scriabin's Piano Concerto, and Dvo??k's Symphony No. 8. Notably, Arirang Fantasy, performed by the New York Philharmonic in Pyongyang in 2008, added significance as a symbol of peace and harmony, which is the essence of the DMZ OPEN Festival.

The meeting of the master pianist Baek Gun-woo, known as the ascetic on the keyboard, and conductor Leos Svarovsky, who sublimated Czech nationalism into art, also delivered great emotion. About 1,300 audience members filled the venue, expressing anticipation for the upcoming eight-day festival.

Pianist Baek Geon-woo. Provided by Gyeonggi Province

The performance on the 10th, themed ‘Cinema Concert’ featuring film music, will include the DMZ OPEN Festival Orchestra (conducted by Anduhyun), pianist Park Jong-hae, and saxophonist Brandon Choi. On the 12th, China’s Li Biao Percussion Group will showcase the essence of percussion music, and on the 13th, a concert by Dmitro Udovychenko (violin), winner of the Queen Elizabeth Competition, and pianist Yoon Hong-chun will take place. On the 14th, the Radom Chamber Orchestra of Poland and trumpeter Sergey Nakariakov will perform under the baton of Yurek Dybal. On the 15th, violinist Kim Seohyun and pianist Bae Jin-woo, who have recently gained international attention, will perform, along with various performances by the Incheon City Choir conducted by Yoon Eui-jung. The closing performance on the 16th will feature the DMZ OPEN Festival Orchestra (conducted by Yurek Dybal), soprano Park Hye-sang, and violinist Dmitro Udovychenko to conclude the festival.

Meanwhile, as a side program, the DMZ OPEN International Music Festival has held invitation concerts featuring prizewinners from international competitions affiliated with the World Federation of International Music Competitions (WFIMC), sharing the federation’s anti-war message. The final stage on Monday the 11th will be a piano recital by Jung Kyu-bin, held at the former Pocheon Cathedral.

Cho Chang-beom, Director of the Peace Cooperation Bureau of Gyeonggi-do, said, “Through the international music festival that decorates the finale of the DMZ OPEN Festival, we hope the message of hope and coexistence conveyed by music will spread widely,” adding, “We will continue to strive to promote the DMZ as a symbol of ‘greater peace.’”

The event was overall planned by Lim Mi-jung, the general director of the DMZ OPEN Festival. Tickets for the international music festival performances can be purchased online via Yes24, Ticketlink, and Goyang Aram Nuri, with on-site sales also available.