Classical music summer specials for youth
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff reporter
A packed classical performance here may initially seem a little empty when viewed from the back of the hall, since the heads of the young members of the audience, hidden by the backs of the chairs, aren't readily visible.
Children and teens comprise a significant portion of local classical concertgoers; a huge number of studies indicate that kids regularly exposed to classical music read earlier and improve everything from hand-eye coordination to their IQ to creative thinking skills. Moreover, it inspires appreciation for the arts and culture and the beauty of taking part in the creative process of a live performance.
Specially tailored programs for and by youths are lined up for the summer vacation season, so parents should get ready to plan family outings.
The Seoul Metropolitan Youth Orchestra will offer performances that the whole family can enjoy. Summer Classics, to be held over two evenings on July 30 and 31 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, downtown Seoul, will present jewels of the classical repertoire along with talks on interpreting the pieces as well as etiquette.
The first concert program includes ``Waltz of the Flowers'' from Tchaikovsky's ``The Nutcracker'' and Gershwin's Piano Concerto in F major, which many may recognize as the track figure skating champion Kim Yu-na used in the 2010 Vancouver Olympics.
The next evening, the orchestra will offer Benjamin Britten's ``The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra,'' Op. 34 and pieces with a jazzy spin such as Gershwin's ``An American in Paris'' and ``Mambo'' from Bernstein's musical ``A West Side Story.''
Tickets for both concerts cost from 5,000 to 25,000 won.
Bernstein fans can look forward to another fun orchestra project celebrating the composer. While serving as music director of the New York Philharmonic, the maestro regularly held youth concerts from 1958 and 1972, and his legacy lives on through the Leonard Bernstein: Young People's Concerts series. The tour next month across Korea, supported by the Leonard Bernstein Office in the United States, is in commemoration of the 20th anniversary of his death.
Conductor Seo Hui-tae will conduct the Millennium Symphony Orchestra in a string of performances at Gyeonggi Arts Center, Suwon, on Aug. 4, Goyang Aram Nuri on Aug. 9 and Seongnam Arts Center on Aug. 10, followed by Daejeon Culture & Arts Center on Aug. 15 and finally Seoul Arts Center on Aug. 18.
The concert will open with Bernstein's ``Candide'' overture. It has been programmed to inspire children to explore various aspects of music under three different themes: they can ask ``What does music mean?'' through Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 ``Pastoral'' or learn about sonata forms with Mozart's ``Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.'' But the concert also emphasizes fun in the ``Humor in music'' section featuring Rimsky-Korsakov's zestful ``Flight of the Bumblebee.''
Tickets cost from 15,000 to 45,000 won. Call (02) 6377-1250 for more information.
Tune into more family-friendly concerts next month. The Seoul Metropolitan Junior Chorus invites fellow youths to discover traditional Korean songs on Aug. 20 at the Sejong Center. The chorus will focus on local folksongs and Jin Ji-heui, the 11-year-old star of the hit sitcom ``High Kick Through the Roof,'' will join the young artists and audience as the hostess. In addition, a choir comprising of music pedagogues will appear as guest performers.
Tickets cost from 10,000 to 20,000 won.
The Summertime Concert on Aug. 21 at the same venue will feature a colorful array of classical and pop numbers. Guitar prodigy Jung Sung-ha and b-boy team Rivers Crew will also give performances.
Tickets cost from 10,000 to 50,000 won.
Call (02) 399-1114~6 for the youth and family concerts to be held at the Sejong Center. Reservations are recommended since tickets usually sell out quickly.