Percussionist Kong Sungyeon, First Korean to Win Second Place at Tromp Competition, to Hold First Solo Recital

March 10 at IBK Chamber Hall, Seoul Arts Center

Percussionist Kong Sungyeon will hold his first solo recital at the IBK Chamber Hall of the Seoul Arts Center on March 10. The concert is titled "My Beautiful Chaos."

In 2024, Kong Sungyeon became the first Korean to win second place at the Tromp International Percussion Competition in the Netherlands, which is regarded as the world's most prestigious percussion competition. Previously, at the 2022 Stuttgart World Marimba Competition, he won first prize and the special prize for interpretation of the commissioned piece. He captivates audiences with performances that are both powerful and gentle.

In this solo recital, Kong Sungyeon will perform works by Bach and contemporary composers. He aims to show how musical languages from different eras can flow together as one.

The program will open with Bach's "Violin Partita No. 2," highlighting its profound musical structure. He will then perform "Box Office" by David Dramm and Martin Fondse, which he played when he won second place at the Tromp International Percussion Competition, as well as "Google" by Ben Wallund.

Kong Sungyeon completed the Korea National Institute for the Gifted in Arts, graduated from Yewon School, and entered Seoul Arts High School. While in his first year at Seoul Arts High School, he was admitted early to the Korea National University of Arts as a gifted student, where he studied under Park Kwangseo, Kim Eunjung, and Kim Eunhye. After completing his undergraduate studies, he went to Germany to study with Marta Klimasara in Stuttgart.

He is currently the only Yamaha Global Artist based in Korea. He has performed in the 2023 Kumho Beautiful Thursday Series, the Seoul Arts Center 30th Anniversary Concert, the Bucheon Art Center Rising Star Series for its opening, and the Daejeon Arts Center's "Morning Classical" series, among others.