Soprano Sumi Jo to receive prestigious French cultural honorRenowned soprano Sumi Jo is set to receive France's Commandeur of the Order of Arts and Letters in recognition of her contributions to French art, the Korean Cultural Center in Paris has said. According to the center Wednesday (local time), the Korean soprano is scheduled to attend an award ceremony at the Opera-Comique in Paris on Monday to receive the highest rank of the three-tier honor bestowed by the French Ministry of Culture. Established in 1957, the honor is given to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding achievements in the fields of art and literature or who have contributed to promoting French culture globally. This recognition also highlights her recent contributions, such as launching her first international vocal competition in July last year at the historic Chateau de la Ferte-Imbault in France's Loire Valley, aimed at supporting talented young vocalists on the global stage.May 22, 2025By Yonhap
Maestro Chung Myung-whun likens La Scala appointment to long-awaited unionMaestro Chung Myung-whun, recently appointed music director of Italy's Teatro alla Scala, described the new role as the culmination of a long-standing relationship with the famed opera house, likening it to a marriage. "We have maintained a lovely relationship for the past 36 years and suddenly gotten married, to put it simply" the maestro said with a laugh during a press conference in the southeastern city of Busan on Monday. Last week, Chung became the first Asian appointed music director at the opera house in Milan, established in 1778. He will succeed Riccardo Chailly at the end of next year and will serve in the position until February 2030. His connection with La Scala dates back to 1989. He has been a constant presence, conducting nine opera productions over 84 performances and 141 concerts -- the highest number of appearances by any conductor not holding an official music director title, according to the theater. In March 2023, he also became the La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra's first-ever honorary conductor in recognition of his long-lasting relationship. "Even if someone is excMay 19, 2025By Yonhap
'Sons of the resistance': 4 punk bands from Gwangju speak upNone of them were around when it happened, but Gwangju's punk bands still feel the spirit of the 1980 Democratic Uprising and how it affected the country in fundamental ways. "Gwangju is definitely a city where the spirit of resistance is still alive," Yang Gun-yang, guitarist and vocalist of Gwangju skate punk band Monkey Pee Quartet, told The Korea Times. "We are the sons of the resistance." Although Yang wasn't born until after the May 18 uprising, he has since lived through two presidential impeachments. The band's 2017 song "My Old Virgin Sister" was released in the wake of the impeachment of Park Geun-hye. Yang said the song was written about the ex-president, but he began working on the song in 2013, early in her term. "'My Old Virgin Sister' was created in 2013 and completed in 2017," he said. "I couldn't finish the lyrics because of the further incidents that kept happening while I was making it. Whenever I tried completing the lyrics, there'd be a new development in president-related news (Sewol sinking, influence peddling impeachment)." Origins of Gwangju punk Punk music tracesMay 18, 2025By Jon Dunbar
Pianist Karam Kim to celebrate Ravel's 150th anniversary with recitalPianist Karam Kim will present a recital in Seoul next month to mark the 150th anniversary of composer Maurice Ravel's birth, offering a program that pays tribute to the French Impressionist master. Titled "Promenade with Ravel," the concert will take place on June 15 at 2 p.m. at the IBK Chamber Hall of the Seoul Arts Center. The performance explores the complexity of Ravel's piano works, which Kim interprets through her own artistic journey growing up in Paris. The program is set to evoke the atmosphere of a summer stroll through the French capital, highlighting some of Ravel's most intricate compositions. Among them is "La Valse," a swirling waltz piece originally composed for two pianos and later arranged for orchestra and solo piano. Kim will also take on "Scarbo," the final movement of "Gaspard de la nuit," widely considered one of the most technically demanding pieces in the solo piano repertoire. Kim studied at the Conservatoire National Supérieur de Musique de Paris under Georges Pludermacher and Claire Désert and at the Royal Academy of Music in London through the Erasmus proMay 16, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Chung Myung-whun to lead Italy’s La Scala as first Asian music director starting 2027Maestro Chung Myung-whun, one of Korea’s most celebrated conductors, has been appointed music director of Italy’s Teatro alla Scala, becoming the first Asian to hold the post in its 247-year history. The opera house, commonly known as La Scala, announced Monday (local time) that Chung will assume the role in 2027, following the conclusion of current music director Riccardo Chailly's tenure. The decision marks a turning point for the Milan-based opera house, long considered one of the so-called "Big Three" alongside the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Royal Opera House in London. Chung, 72, will serve for approximately three years, overlapping with the term of La Scala’s new general manager and artistic director Fortunato Ortombina, whose tenure runs through February 2030. Chung’s relationship with La Scala spans more than three decades. Since making his debut at the Milanese opera house in 1989, he has conducted nine operas across 84 performances and led 141 concerts, holding the record for the highest number of appearances, apart from its official music directors. In 202May 13, 2025By Kwon Mee-yoo
Pianist Ilya Rashkovskiy to perform Mozart, Prokofiev in SeoulRussian pianist Ilya Rashkovskiy will give a recital at the Seoul Arts Center on May 16, featuring works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Sergei Prokofiev. Titled "Mozart, Prokofiev," the program includes Mozart’s Piano Sonata No. 8 in A minor, K.310 and No. 12 in F major, K.332, alongside Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 6 in A major, Op. 82 and No. 7 in B-flat major, Op. 83. "The pianist will perform piano sonatas by Mozart — one of his favorite composers, whose works he has never played in Korea before — as well as Prokofiev’s sonata 'War' (No. 7 in B-flat major, Op. 83), composed in the 20th century," according to Opus, the concert's promoter. “Mozart’s Sonata K.310 is considered one of the most dramatic among his sonata repertoire, while Prokofiev’s two sonatas offer contrasting depictions of the human inner world in times of conflict.” Born in Russia, Rashkovskiy made his debut at the age of eight with the Irkutsk Chamber Orchestra. From 1993 to 2000, he studied at the Novosibirsk Specialized Music School, the Hochschule für Musik in Hannover and the École Normale deMay 1, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
Pianist Lim Yun-chan achieves triple wins at BBC awards for debut albumKorean pianist Lim Yun-chan has achieved a triple victory at the BBC Music Magazine Awards for his debut studio album, "Chopin: Etudes," the organization said on its website Thursday. Lim secured the prestigious Recording of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, and the Instrumental Award, marking a historic moment as the first time a single album has garnered three awards in one year at the event. Furthermore, he is the first artist ever to win both the Newcomer and Recording of the Year awards simultaneously. "Given that 2024 saw the release of many outstanding albums, I did not expect this outcome at all, and I'm so grateful," he said according to the website. "I strive always to harmonize what my heart tells me with what my mind dictates." Charlotte Smith, editor of BBC Music Magazine, said, "That the artist at the center of these three prestigious awards should just have celebrated his 21st birthday is downright astonishing. But Lim Yunchan is no ordinary artist." Released in April last year, Lim's "Chopin: Etudes" has already earned widespread global acclaim. It previously won the GramophApr 24, 2025By Yonhap
Pianist Cho Seong-jin to launch nationwide tour featuring Ravel's worksPianist Cho Seong-jin will embark on a nationwide recital tour in June to mark the release of his album featuring the complete solo piano works of French composer Maurice Ravel (1875–1937). Concert organizer Credia Music & Artists announced Monday that Cho will hold eight commemorative performances across Korea, beginning on June 12 at Arts Center Incheon. The tour will continue through July with stops in Seoul on June 14 and 17, Seongnam on June 15, Daegu on June 20, Gimhae on June 21, Daejeon on July 2 and Cheonan on July 6. The tour commemorates the 150th anniversary of Ravel's birth and is part of Cho's larger project to present the French composer's complete solo piano repertoire along with his two piano concertos. Cho previously released the first part of this project, "Ravel: The Complete Solo Piano Works," on Jan. 17. A second album, featuring Ravel's piano concertos recorded with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Latvian conductor Andris Nelsons, was released on Feb. 21. Following the album releases, Cho launched an international recital tour that has already made stops at mApr 22, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
Japanese singer Aimyon captivates 16,000 at first concert in KoreaJapanese singer-songwriter Aimyon left fans cheering and clapping in surprise during her first-ever concert in Korea when she revealed in Korean that she had secretly been studying the language for a year. “I actually kept a secret from everyone,” she said in Japanese. Then, switching to Korean, she added, “I’ve been studying Korean for about a year now, since last May. I didn’t tell anyone, not even my band or staff. Surprised? It’s really difficult.” The crowd at Kintex in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, roared in response. Aimyon, whose real name is Aimi Morai, was known in middle school for her love of K-pop and Korean culture. On April 19 and 20, Aimyon performed two sold-out shows at Kintex, drawing a total of 16,000 fans. The audience, largely made up of male fans in their 20s and 30s, responded with loud cheers throughout the performance. Celebrating the 10th anniversary of her debut, Aimyon delivered a faultless live performance filled with warmth, confidence, and musical precision, solidifying her status as one of the most popular J-pop artists among Korean listeners. HApr 22, 2025By KTimes
Sumi Jo says her path to opera began with her mother's love for Maria CallasLong before soprano Sumi Jo stepped onto the opera stage, her future had already been decided by her mother's admiration for American-born Greek soprano Maria Callas, Jo said Saturday. "My mother said hearing Callas on the radio as a teenager shook her to the core," Jo said during a Q&A session following a screening of Pablo Larraín's biopic, "Maria," at Megabox COEX in Gangnam District, Seoul. "She even vowed that if she ever had a child, she'd raise her to be an opera singer." That vow shaped Jo's life from the very beginning. Her mother played her recordings of Callas while she was still in the womb as a form of musical prenatal care, according to the soprano. "From the moment I was born, my destiny was already set," Jo said. "By age four, I was studying vocal music, piano, ballet, Korean dance, figure skating and public speaking — my mother believed all were necessary to stand on the opera stage." Starring Hollywood actor Angelina Jolie as the legendary soprano, the film traces Callas' tumultuous career and private struggles — parallels that resonated deeply with Jo, especially tApr 20, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
