SK Innovation-Sponsored 9th GMF Successfully Held... Music Festival for People with Developmental Disabilities

Tickets Sold Out Early, Festival Becomes a Leading Stage
Green Ensemble Wins Grand Prize with 10 Million Won Award
Commitment to Supporting Independence and Growth of Aspiring Professional Musicians

The Great Music Festival (GMF), the largest music festival for people with developmental disabilities in Korea, was held successfully.

SK Innovation announced on the 19th that the 9th GMF, held on the previous day, the 18th, at the COEX Auditorium in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, filled all 1,000 seats, with six teams of musicians with developmental disabilities competing passionately in the finals. Since 2017, GMF has been sponsored by SK Innovation and organized by the Heart-Heart Foundation, with 290 teams and over 3,000 musicians with developmental disabilities participating to date, establishing itself as a leading music festival. The finalist teams prepared for the stage through two months of intensive lessons.

On the 18th, award recipients are taking a commemorative photo at the 9th GMF held at COEX in Gangnam-gu, Seoul. SK Innovation

The Grand Prize was awarded to Green Ensemble, which received the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award and a prize of 10 million won. The Excellence Award went to Ensemble La Vie Encle, the Merit Award to Aria For Men and Dasoni Chamber Orchestra, and the Encouragement Award to Helios String Ensemble and Miracle Ensemble. In total, the six finalist teams received 21 million won in prize money and trophies.

GMF serves not only as a competition, but also as a platform for people with developmental disabilities to expand their paths to independence through music, including further education, employment, and entrepreneurship. Among the past winners, there have been cases of advancement to art colleges, collaborations with domestic and international orchestras, national concert tours, and the establishment of social cooperatives, with many growing into professional musicians.

SK Innovation and the Heart-Heart Foundation plan to hold the 2nd GMF in Hungary this November in Budapest. Previously, in 2023, a global stage was held in Atlanta, Georgia, United States.

Ahn Junhyun, Head of Communications at SK Innovation, stated, "GMF is a platform for people with developmental disabilities to grow into professional musicians," adding, "We will continue to support the independence and social value of people with developmental disabilities going forward."