Lotte Concert Hall offers unique afternoon concerts By Yun Suh-youngThe recently opened Lotte Concert Hall will offer afternoon concerts from Friday.Korea’s first vineyard-style music hall ― and the first classical music hall to open since the Seoul Arts Center in 1988 ― will hold concerts at 2 p.m. on Sept. 23, Oct. 7, 15 and 23, and will continue the series throughout the year.The concerts are designed for visitors to the Lotte World Mall in Jamsil, eastern Seoul, home of the concert hall.Friday’s concert features conductor Sung Si-yeon of the Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra with Deutsche Radio Philharmonie and Bernhard Leonardy on the concert hall’s unique 5,000-pipe organ.The program includes Beethoven's "The Creatures of Prometheus" Overture, Op. 43, Saint-Saens' Symphony No. 3 in C minor, Op. 78 "Organ," and Brahms' Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68. Saint-Saens' "Organ," the highlight of the performance, is apt to deliver the utmost beauty of the original sound of an organ. The repertoire was previously performed on Aug. 19, during the opening concert by conductor Chung Myung-whun and the Seoul PhilhSep 20, 2016
MOBB unlikely to become next BigBang MOBB or MINO X BOBBY / Courtesy of YG EntertainmentBy Kim Jae-heunYang Hyun-seok, the chief producer and founder of YG Entertainment (YG), must be struggling to find the next BigBang ― the record label’s most successful and lucrative hip-hop boy band.Among the many businesses YG operates, music has been ― and still is ― its primary focus and BigBang is at the center of it. The band is scheduled to hold 16 concerts in four cities in Japan by the end of this year. But with all five members required to start their military service soon, YG Entertainment will inevitably face a considerable financial loss.It is not only a matter of money but the talent agency will also lose its leading player in the K-pop market.MOBB, or MINO X BOBBY, is YG’s new project revealed in September. The hip-hop duo is Yang’s experiment to test their potential to carry on BigBang’s popularity.Despite his high hopes for boy bands Winner and iKON that debuted in January 2014 and November 2015, respectively, their popularity failed to compare with BigBang’s or even come Sep 18, 2016
Japanese violinist Shoji to perform with SPO Sayaka ShojiBy Yun Suh-youngRising Japanese violinist Sayaka Shoji will perform with several noted musicians in her first Seoul appearance later this week.On Sept. 23, she will present “Sayaka Shoji's Prokofiev Violin Concerto” with conductor Lahav Shani from Israel and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra at the Seoul Arts Center at 8 p.m.Shani is a notable young conductor who was nominated as the next permanent conductor for the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra. The musician, 27, is the youngest conductor to be appointed to the permanent position by the orchestra since its establishment in 1918. He was also appointed chief guest conductor for the Vienna Symphony’s 2017-18 season.Shoji was the youngest winner of the Paganini International Violin Competition at the age of 16 in 1999 and has since collaborated with famed conductors such as Mariss Jansons, Lorin Maazel, Colin Davis, Zubin Mehta and Charles Dutoit. As an artist in exclusive contract with Deutsche Grammophon, she recorded Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto with Radio France Philharmonic, led by conductor Chung MSep 18, 2016
'Fidelio' to highlight Daegu Opera Festival “Orfeo ed Euridice” performed by Landestheater Linz of Austria in a “ballet opera” combining orchestral music, opera and dance. / Courtesy of Daegu International Opera FestivalBy Yun Suh-youngThe 14th Daegu International Opera Festival kicks off on Oct. 6 and will continue until Nov. 5 at the Daegu Opera House.This year’s event is themed "To Joy from Suffering" and will feature main performances of famous pieces such as “La Boheme,” “Fidelio,” “Orfeo ed Euridice,” “Tosca” and “Carmen.” Original foreign productions are invited to join the stage.The masterpiece "La Boheme" of Italian opera composer Puccini will be performed by the Gwangju City Opera to mark the grand opening of the festival. “Fidelio,” the only opera ever composed by Beethoven, will be performed by Theater Bonn, the original producer of “Fidelio” from Beethoven’s birthplace. “Orfeo ed Euridice” will be performed by Landestheater Linz of Austria in a "ballet opera" combining orchestraSep 9, 2016
K-pop pushing boundaries By Kim Jae-heunThe government’s decision to deploy a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) here has stoked concerns that it will take the steam out of the popularity of hallyu in China.The neighboring country is strongly opposing the deployment of the anti-missile defense system on the Korean Peninsula and is suspected of moving to take retaliatory action against K-pop idols and other hallyu stars.However, boy band BigBang’s local concert drew more than 65,000 fans, including Chinese and Japanese K-pop lovers in Seoul on Aug. 20. With such a huge local and international fan base, political conflict might not deal a major blow to K-pop after all.Many Koreans grow up listening to American pop songs, not completely understanding the lyrics. It is not unusual for music fans to love songs written in a language other than their mother tongue.In 2012, Psy’s “Gangnam Style,” sung in Korean, became a global sensation. Many accredit the success of the song to its humorous video and an explosive verse melody with an easy-to-follow horse-riding dance that getsSep 2, 2016
Simple Plan returns to Korea with new album Canadian pop punk band “Simple Plan” / Courtesy of Access ENTPop-punk band to hold concert in Seoul Thursday By Park Jin-hai French-Canadian pop-punk act Simple Plan, who graced the finale of the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival five years ago, return to Korea for their own concert, Thursday. “The last time we came to Korea was for a big festival with a bunch other bands,” said Chuck Comeau, the band’s drummer, during an email interview with The Korea Times. “It is really cool to come back and do our own headlining show, play in front of our fans, and playing the full show. A lot of fans in Asia are very supportive, but Korean fans really shocked and surprised us.”Formed 17 years ago as a five-member band with Comeau on drums, vocalist Pierre Bouvier, lead guitarist Jeff Stinco, rhythm guitarist Sebastien Lefebvre and bassist David Desrosiers, the band has released five albums, including “Taking One for the Team” released in February.Comeau says the band’s new album, “Taking One for the Team,&Aug 31, 2016
Seoul Donhwamun Traditional Theater opens A performance troupe rehearses on the stage of Seoul Donhwamun Traditional Theater ahead of the opening performance on Thursday. / Courtesy of Seoul Donhwamun Traditional TheaterBy Yun Suh-young A theater specially built to host traditional music performances opens Thursday in Jongno-gu, northern Seoul.Seoul Donhwamun Traditional Theater, across the street from Changdeok Palace, is the first traditional music concert hall to open in Seoul. Donhwamun is the name of Changdeok Palace’s front gate.The theater is built to maximize acoustics. The building mixes traditional and modern elements, in a traditional exterior structure and a modern interior setting. The exterior is built as traditional Korean hanok architecture and uses traditional elements inside the theater, such as changhoji, a traditional Korean paper made from mulberry bark, which was originally used for doors and windows.The performances are microphone and speaker-free, offering the most natural sound. The theater, in the basement of the building on the second and third floors below ground, has 140 seaAug 30, 2016
Hans Graf, Pascal Roge to perform with SPO on Sept. 1 Conductor Hans Graf, left, and pianist Pascal Roge / Courtesy of SPOBy Yun Suh-young Austrian conductor Hans Graf visits Seoul this week, teaming up with Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) to perform works by Debussy and Rachmaninoff.Graf will be collaborating with French pianist Pascal Roge on Sept. 1 and 2. The performance is held at the Seoul Arts Center.Graf had performed with the SPO in 2012, rendering Saint-Saens' "Organ Symphony," and in 2014 with Mahler's Symphony No. 10 which was met with rave reviews. He had led the Houston Symphony from 2001 to 2013 and currently serves as conductor laureate for the orchestra.Roge visits Seoul for the third time, 20 years since his last visit. Roge served as music director of Salzburg's Mozarteum Orchestra 1984 to 1994, Canada's Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra 1995 to 2003 and France's Bordeaux Aquitaine National Orchestra 1998 to 2004.The program introduces the earlier works of the two major composers of the 19th and 20th century _ Rachmaninoff and Debussy. The list includes Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 1, Debussy's Symphony in bAug 29, 2016
Lim: 'These will be concerts of a life time' The Korean Symphony Orchestra and a chorus of 1,000 led by Conductor Lim Hun-jeong rehearse Wednesday, at the Lotte Concert Hall in eastern Seoul, ahead of the "Symphony of a Thousand" concerts scheduled for Aug. 25 and 27. / YonhapBy Yun Suh-youngConductor Lim Hun-jeong who is a Mahler specialist and composer said the "Symphony of a Thousand" concerts which will be held today and Saturday will be his "concerts of a life time.""I've never seen a concert performed with a thousand people before. I heard it was the first time being performed in Korea and the world. This will be the one and only concert of our life time," he said during a rehearsal of the concert before the press Wednesday at the newly opened Lotte Concert Hall in Jamsil, eastern Seoul.On Aug. 25 and 27, Lim will lead the Korean Symphony Orchestra and a chorus of 1,000 to reenact Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 8 also known as the "Symphony of a Thousand." The song was given the name because in the very first performance in 1910, 1,000 people performed the song.The concert will be a rare opportunity to see a performance of Aug 24, 2016
CL's 'Lifted' not as successful as expected A scene from CL’s American debut single music video “Lifted” / Courtesy of YG EntertainmentBy Kim Jae-heunA promotional poster for CL’s new single “Lifted” released last Friday / Courtesy of YG EntertainmentCL of YG Entertainment’s girl group 2NE1 debuted in the United States last Friday with her much-anticipated single “Lifted.”It has been only a year since the singer, 25, topped global music streaming site Spotify with her promotional track “Hello Bitches,” written by YG Entertainment’s main producer, Teddy of 1TYM.This time, CL returned more prepared than ever and ready to hit the U.S. market. “Lifted” bases its tune on the legendary 1990s hip-hop group Wu Tang Clan’s “Method Man.”Teddy took overall control of CL’s debut single and American rapper Asher Roth co-produced the song while CL wrote the lyrics. Popular American director Dave Meyers filmed her new single’s music video and American talent manager Scooter Braun, who discovered Justin Bieber and helped Psy debutAug 24, 2016
