Yongjae O'Neill and Hyesang Park Share the Stage... Takachi Quartet's 50th Anniversary Concert in Korea

At Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on May 20

Takachi Quartet, a string quartet featuring Korean-American violist Richard Yongjae O'Neill, will hold a concert at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on May 20 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of its founding.

Takachi Quartet is a world-renowned ensemble marking its 50th anniversary this year. It has been named one of the "Five Greatest String Quartets of Our Time" by Gramophone magazine in the UK, and also one of the "Ten Greatest String Quartets of the Past 100 Years" by BBC Music Magazine.

Takachi Quartet [Photo by Amanda Tipton, Courtesy of Credia (c)]

Yongjae O'Neill joined Takachi Quartet in 2020, succeeding Geraldine Walther, who had served as the quartet's violist for 15 years.

Takachi Quartet previously performed in Korea in 2006 and 2016, and returned in 2022 to celebrate Yongjae O'Neill's addition to the group.

This concert will also feature soprano Hyesang Park, a Deutsche Grammophon artist who has performed on major stages such as the Metropolitan Opera and the Berlin State Opera.

Soprano Hyesang Park
[Photo by Sangwook Lee, Courtesy of Credia]

At this performance, Takachi Quartet will open with Haydn's String Quartet (Op. 77-1). They will then perform "Melancholie," a lesser-known work by 20th-century modernist Paul Hindemith, in collaboration with soprano Hyesang Park.

In the second half, the quartet will present Ravel's string quartet, known for its innovative and sensuous musical character.