Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.
Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra unveils 2020 season with new music director Osmo Vanska
Finnish maestro Osmo Vanska will start his first season with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra next year. Courtesy of SPO
By Anna J. Park
By Anna J. Park
The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) has announced its 2020 program, which consists of 38 concerts.
Next year will be the first season that Seoul Philharmonic's new music director and chief conductor Osmo Vanskagets will lead the orchestra. The Finnish maestro was appointed in May.
Often dubbed an orchestra-builder for his inclusive musical leadership, Vanska has successfully led Finland's Lahti Symphony Orchestra, the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, and the Minnesota Orchestra, of which he is still music director and chief conductor.
“I am incredibly honored and excited to begin my first season as the new music director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra,” Vanska wrote for the orchestra's new season book. “I have had such wonderful and fulfilling experiences with the orchestra in my previous visits, and I know that over the next few seasons we will continue to grow together, both personally and artistically.”
Vanska is an internationally acclaimed Sibelius and Mahler specialist. He received a Grammy Award for his recordings of Sibelius Symphonies No. 1 and No. 4 in 2013 ― and his Mahler and Beethoven orchestral albums were also Grammy-nominated many times ― among several other awards and honors
Maestro Vanska will bring his signature sound to Korean audiences with the orchestra. His first performance as new music director will be Mahler's iconic Symphony No. 2 in C minor, “Resurrection,” scheduled for Feb. 14 and 15 at the Lotte Concert Hall.
Maestro Vanska's inaugural performance as the new music director at the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra will be Mahler's Symphony No. 2, 'Resurrection,' Feb. 14 and 15 next year. Vanska will conduct six concerts at the SPO next year. Courtesy of Travis Anderson
“During the 2020 season, we will be performing many of my favorite works, such as Mahler's Second Symphony, Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, Elgar's Enigma Variations and Sibelius' Symphony No. 5, in addition to smaller works by composers such as Hindemith, Rautavaara and Stravinsky, which I know the audiences will really enjoy,” Vanska said.
The maestro will conduct Sibelius' Symphony No. 5 on Aug. 20 and 21, Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5 on Nov. 11, and Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, Choral, on Dec. 19 and 20 next year, among others.
Beethoven specialist Kim Sun-wook will perform Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2, April 24, with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. Courtesy of Marco Borggreve
Another focus of next season is the 250th anniversary of the birth of Beethoven.
Principal guest conductor Thierry Fischer will present the Korean orchestra's first performance next year ― Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61 ― at the Lotte Concert Hall, Jan. 9.
Conductor-in-Residence Markus Stenz will present the most-popular symphonies of Beethoven, Symphony No. 5 in C minor Op. 67, known as the “Fate Symphony,” and Symphony No. 6 in F major Op. 68, the “Pastoral.” Beethoven specialist Kim Sun-wook will also perform Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2 on April 24.
Associate conductor Wilson Ng will conduct Dvorak's Symphony No. 7 on Nov. 27; a winner of the 2020 International Chopin Piano Competition he will also perform one of Chopin's piano concertos the same day.
Swedish trumpeter Hakan Hardenberger is the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra's artist-in-residence for next year. Courtesy of Marco Borggreve
Meanwhile, Swedish trumpeter Hakan Hardenberger is the SPO's Artist-In-Residence next year. He will perform four times ― in March and August ― presenting a wide variety of repertories, from Baroque pieces by Hertel and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach to the 19th century composer Mussorgsky and 20th century musicians Rautavaara and Part.
The Seoul Philharmonic's paid-up subscription members can purchase package tickets ― for admission to all 38 performances ― from 11 a.m. Nov. 19. The public can purchase them from Nov. 21. Those who buy the package get a 15 percent to 30 percent discount.
From Dec. 3, the public can start purchasing admission tickets for individual performances. Those under the age of 24 can get a 40 percent discount on a single admission ticket.
For more information, visit the official Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra website
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Courtesy of Courtney Perry