Conductor Jin Sol's Eighth Stage in the 'Mahler Cycle' Challenge

At the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on October 26

Conductor Jin Sol, who has been taking on the challenge of performing the complete cycle of Mahler's symphonies since 2017, will conduct Mahler's Symphony No. 4 at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on October 26, 2025.

This performance marks the eighth stage of the 'Mahlerian Series.' After this concert, Jin Sol will have only one Mahler symphony left to complete the cycle.

The subtitle for this eighth stage is 'Fairy Tale.' The program features Mahler's Symphony No. 4 and Schubert's String Quartet No. 14 'Death and the Maiden,' arranged by Mahler. By presenting Schubert, who gazed into the depths of human existence, alongside Mahler, who longed for a heavenly life, the concert aims to weave a grand epic that traverses life and death, reality and transcendence.

The principal members of the Mahlerian Orchestra for this performance include musicians from Artize and La Passio Sonata. Artize is a private classical music ensemble founded by Jin Sol in 2012. La Passio Sonata, a young Italian chamber orchestra established in 2019, is composed mainly of musicians who previously performed with top orchestras such as the RAI National Symphony Orchestra and the La Scala Philharmonic.

Schubert's original 'Death and the Maiden' is a chamber music piece delicately portraying the dialogue between a girl facing death and Death itself, but Mahler arranged it for string orchestra.

Mahler's Symphony No. 4, which will be performed in the second half, is considered the brightest and most transparent of Mahler's symphonies, filled with an innocent and pastoral sentiment. The highlight is the fourth movement, featuring the soprano solo 'Das himmlische Leben' (The Heavenly Life). Through the voice of a child, it depicts heaven as a series of simple and joyful everyday moments. Soprano Kim Hyo-young will perform as the soloist.

Conductor Jin Sol graduated from the Korea National University of Arts and the Mannheim University of Music and Performing Arts in Germany. She has built her career by conducting leading orchestras in Korea and abroad. Leading both Artize and the Mahlerian Orchestra, she has been carrying out the first privately organized complete Mahler symphony project in Korea, while also expanding the reach of classical music through collaborations with game and video IPs. Last year, she received the Hong Jin-ki Creativity Award in the Culture and Arts category.

Conductor Jin Sol stated, "Mahler's Symphony No. 4 is the most approachable and pure of his works, yet it contains profound reflections on life, death, and the longing for heaven. With Artize, La Passio Sonata, and the Mahlerian members coming together, this will be an artistic dialogue between Korea and Europe. I hope the audience finds comfort and resonance through this journey."

Soprano Kim Hyo-young, who will be featured as a soloist, graduated from Seoul National University and The Juilliard School. She gained international recognition by winning the Metropolitan Opera Competition in 2021.