June 26 at Art Center Incheon, June 27-28 at Seoul Arts Center
Beethoven's Symphony "Eroica" and Piano Concerto No. 4, among others
The New York Philharmonic, one of America's leading orchestras, will perform in Korea for the first time in 11 years.
According to concert organizer Mastmedia, the New York Philharmonic will perform at the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center on June 27 and 28. A day earlier, on June 26, the orchestra is scheduled to perform at the Art Center Incheon.
During the performances on June 26 and 27, the orchestra will play two works by Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 4 and Symphony No. 3 "Eroica." The June 28 concert will feature three works by French composers: Maurice Ravel's "Mother Goose Suite," Claude Debussy's "La Mer," and Hector Berlioz's "Symphonie Fantastique."
Conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen is deep in thought at a press conference held on the 25th at the Seoul Culture Education Center Seocho. Photo by Mastmedia
Polish pianist Krystian Zimerman, who won the Chopin Competition in 1975, will perform as a soloist in Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 and Debussy's La Mer. Zimerman is known as a demanding artist, famous for traveling with his own piano for performances.
Matthias Tarnopolski, CEO of the New York Philharmonic, said at a press conference held on June 25 at the Seoul Culture and Education Center Seocho, "It is very rare for Zimerman to perform as a soloist, which makes this New York Philharmonic concert in Korea truly special." In fact, this will be Zimerman's first collaborative performance in Korea.
Esa-Pekka Salonen, the conductor for this concert, said, "I've been performing with Zimerman since the 1980s, but recently we haven't had many opportunities. Having this concert in Korea, where I share good memories with an old friend, is very special."
Salonen spoke highly of Zimerman, describing him as a truly exceptional artist. "Zimerman is a pianist who thoroughly researches and investigates every detail of the works he performs. That is why he offers interpretations that you cannot hear anywhere else. He delivers performances that are as pure and clear as water, with nothing mixed in?a pianist who achieves perfection."
This is Salonen's third visit to Korea. He previously visited in 2008 with the LA Philharmonic and in 2018 with the Philharmonia Orchestra. During the 2018 Philharmonia Orchestra tour in Korea, he performed Leonard Bernstein's Symphony No. 2 "The Age of Anxiety," which features a piano solo, with Zimerman as the pianist at that time.
Reflecting on his return to Korea after seven years, Salonen said, "Whenever I think about my visits to Korea, both the audiences and the concert halls have been wonderful. Each time I came, I left with very pleasant memories." He added, "I believe my first performance with the New York Philharmonic was in 1986. This concert, with longtime collaborator Zimerman and the orchestra, feels like a family trip."
Matthias Tarnopolski, CEO of the New York Philharmonic, is introducing the New York Philharmonic at a press conference held on the 25th at the Seoul Culture Education Center Seocho. Photo by Mastmedia
The New York Philharmonic first visited Korea in 1979 with Leonard Bernstein. In 2008, the orchestra visited again with Lorin Maazel, leaving a lasting impression on Koreans with a performance in Pyongyang.
CEO Tarnopolski said, "Although it has been 11 years since our last visit, the New York Philharmonic has performed in Korea a total of 22 times. Above all, the historic concerts in North and South Korea in 2008 remain a special memory." He added, "On October 22 this year, we will open a new concert hall, and in September next year, our new artistic director Gustavo Dudamel will begin his first season. The New York Philharmonic is about to embark on a new journey."
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