Yeolum Son to Perform Ravel Piano Concerto with NAC Orchestra in Their First Korea Tour

On May 31 at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall
Strauss's "Don Juan" and Beethoven's "Fate"

Pianist Yeolum Son will perform Ravel's Piano Concerto with the National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra Canada at the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center on May 31.

This marks the NAC Orchestra's first-ever performance in Korea. The NAC Orchestra is a public institution based in Ottawa, the capital of Canada. It upholds five core values: inclusion, creativity, tolerance, sustainability, and engagement, striving to deliver high-quality music and art while fulfilling its social responsibilities.

This concert will feature a wide range of repertoire, spanning from classical and late Romantic to Impressionist and contemporary music.

The performance opens with Richard Strauss's symphonic poem "Don Juan," a masterpiece that combines sophisticated orchestration, heroic spirit, and poignant melodies of love.

Pianist Yeolum Son [Photo by Mastmedia]

Next, the orchestra will present the Korean premiere of "Dark Nights, Bright Stars, Vast Universe," a commissioned work by Canadian contemporary composer Kelly-Marie Murphy. This piece is expected to showcase the unique creativity that only the NAC Orchestra can offer.

As the final piece of the first half, Yeolum Son will perform Ravel's Piano Concerto, commemorating the 150th anniversary of the French composer's birth this year. The work is notable for its vibrant French musical colors and Ravel's signature delicate orchestration.

In the second half, the orchestra will perform Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, "Fate." Beginning with the famous "fate motif," the piece is renowned for its powerful expression of defiance against tragic destiny and its jubilant, triumphant conclusion.

Alexander Shelley, Music Director of the National Arts Centre Orchestra Canada
[Photo by Mast Media]

The concert will be conducted by Alexander Shelley, music director of the NAC Orchestra. Shelley grew up in a family of musicians, with a conductor and pianist father and a pianist mother. During his youth, he received guidance toward becoming a conductor from his musical mentor, Timothy Hugh, principal cellist of the London Symphony Orchestra. Shelley gained recognition after winning the 2005 Leeds Conductors Competition.