NCT Dream's 'Candy' winter EP sells 2 mil. copies in preorders A photo of K-pop boy band NCT Dream, provided by SM Entertainment/ YonhapKorean boy group NCT Dream's special winter EP, "Candy," has surpassed two million copies in preorders, the group's agency, SM Entertainment, said Monday.A subunit of the K-pop supergroup NCT released the six-track EP digitally Friday and will release it physically later Monday.It marks NCT Dream's first release since "Beatbox," the repackaged version of "Glitch Mode," its second full-length album that came out in March. The two albums have sold a combined 3.61 million copies.The six songs on the special winter album are the title track "Candy," "Graduation," "Tangerine Love (Favorite)," "Take My Breath," "Moon" and "Walk With You."The main track is a remake of the song of the same name originally recorded by K-pop group H.O.T. in 1996. It currently has a high rank on the real-time songs charts of major domestic music services, including Melon, Genie and Flo, for the fourth day in a row. (Yonhap)Dec 19, 2022
Pianist Cho Seong-jin pre-releases single from upcoming Handel album The cover of pianist Cho Seong-jin's upcoming album, "The Handel Project," is seen in this photo provided by Universal Music Group. YonhapPianist Cho Seong-jin on Friday unveiled a minuet piano single by George Frideric Handel to be included on his upcoming solo album, Universal Music Group said. The winner of the 2015 International Chopin Piano Competition selected "Handel: Suite in B-Flat Major, HWV 434: IV. Minuet" for the pre-release of the official solo album, "The Handel Project," slated for global release in February.The piece was composed for harpsichord, a popular instrument from the 16th to the 18th century, and was arranged by Wilhelm Kempff for piano. "I thought this piece was very beautiful, and the kind of music I want to play some day," Cho was quoted as saying in a press release.The 28-year-old, best known as a Chopin specialist, said he picked Handel for his new project as he has been fond of Baroque composers, including Handel, Jean-Philippe Rameau and Armand-Louis Couperin, since his teenage years."Bach is the most famous composer from the Baroque period," he said.Dec 16, 2022
Strasbourg Philharmonic to perform signature piece at upcoming Korean concerts The Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra / Courtesy of DoNiceOne of France's oldest orchestras looks forward to Korean concertsBy Dong Sun-hwaThe Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra, one of France's oldest orchestras that was founded in 1855, is set to perform its signature piece ― “Carmen Suite No. 1” by Georges Bizet ― at its upcoming concerts in Korea. The orchestra will stage concerts from Dec. 16-20, with its Seoul performance taking place on Dec. 20 at the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho District. Uzbekistan-born music director Aziz Shokhakimov, who became the principal conductor of the National Symphony Orchestra of Uzbekistan in 2006 at the age of 18, will lead the orchestra. French pianist Alexandre Kantorow, who is also known as “Liszt reincarnated,” will join. Aziz Shokhakimov, music director of the Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra / Courtesy of DoNice“'Carmen' is the most popular French opera and I think it is our signature (piece,)” Shokhakimov said during an online press event with Korean media outlets, Thursday. “Russian music and FrenDec 9, 2022By Dong Sun-hwa
Soprano Sumi Jo says new Korean-language album 'In Love' transcends time Korean soprano Sumi Jo poses for a photo during a promotional event for her new Korean-language album "In Love" held in Seoul, Dec. 6. YonhapFamed Korean soprano Jo Su-mi said Tuesday her new Korean-language crossover album "In Love" contains elements of the past, present and future to deliver the beautiful emotions of falling in love. The Grammy-winning singer said she had a hard time selecting 11 Korean tracks for the love-themed album released on Warner Classics as she wanted to introduce a wide range of Korean songs by contemporary composers in her own style. "It is a compact collection of Korea's past, present and future, featuring the Korean traditional instrument and electronic sound," Jo said during a press conference. Also at the presser conference was conductor Choi Young-seon, Korean bass-baritone Gil Byeong-min and Korean traditional instrument player Haegeum Nary, who teamed up for the album."All of the composers are alive, so they could give me their opinions about the songs and help me," the 59-year-old said. "Many people say Korean folk songs are not familiar, so I naDec 6, 2022
Piano prodigy Lim Yunchan releases live album 'Beethoven·Isangyun·Barber' Pianist Lim Yun-chan plays piano during a press conference held to promote his live performance album "Beethoven·Isangyun·Barber" at Kumho Art Hall Yonsei in Seoul, Nov. 28. YonhapKorean piano prodigy Lim Yunchan said Monday he wanted to deliver Beethoven's utopia through the composer's No. 5 Piano Concerto "Emperor" on his first live album in collaboration with Gwangju Symphony Orchestra. The 18-year-old took the stage with the local orchestra, conducted by Hong Suk-won, at Tongyeong Concert Hall in Tongyeong, on the southeastern coast, on Oct. 8, and its live recording was made into an album by Universal Music's classical label, Deutsche Grammophon. During the concert, Lim played Beethoven's masterpiece, Korean composer Yun Isang's "Exemplum in memoriam Kwangju" (1981), and Samuel Barber's "Adagio for Strings," along with other works by Federico Mompou and Alexander Scriabin.The rising pianist said he chose Beethoven's concerto after his perception of the work "completely changed" after spending much of his time practicing at home amid the COVID-19 pandemic."When I liNov 28, 2022
K-pop legend Cho Yong-pil to return with new single A photo of singer Cho Yong-pil / Courtesy of YPC CompanyCho Yong-pil, a living legend of the Korean pop scene, will be back this week with his first release in nine years, his management agency said Tuesday.The 72-year-old singer will drop a new single, titled "Road to 20-Prelude 1," on Friday at 6 p.m., YPC Company said. It also teased the upcoming release on the singer's official YouTube channel. The 30-second teaser video showed the Korean titles of the two tracks to be included on the album, which are roughly translated as "Moment" and "Like Serengeti," along with the date and hour of its release.The K-pop legend's last release was his 19th full-length album, "Hello," in 2013. "Bounce" and "Hello," tracks off the album, conquered music charts, pushing aside younger K-pop stars like Psy of "Gangnam Style.""It will be released as a single album, which he has never tried before," the agency said in the video without giving further details of the upcoming release.A photo of singer Cho Yong-pil / Courtesy of YPC CompanyCho debuted as a member of the rock band Atkins in 1968. After worNov 15, 2022
JYP founder-singer Park Jin-young to drop new single This image provided by JYP Entertainment shows a poster for "Groove Missing," the upcoming single from singer Park Jin-young. YonhapPark Jin-young, the founder of K-pop powerhouse JYP Entertainment and singer, will put out his new single, titled "Groove Missing," next week, his agency said Monday.The single will mark his first release in two years and three months since "When We Disco," his collaboration single with Sunmi, a soloist from now-disbanded girl group Wonder Girls, released in August 2020."Groove Back," the album's main track set to be out next Monday, is an amusing dance song with lyrics about awaking people's instinct of dancing sleeping inside them, according to JYP.Originally created for a short-form dance challenge, it was later made into a complete song thanks to support from K-pop fans. Gaeko of Dynamicduo participated as a featured artist.Park launched the "Groove Back" dance challenge on Mount Nam in central Seoul last month and continued the event in Barcelona, Bangkok, Sao Paulo, Brazil and Los Angeles. Many people took part in the challenge, including Shindong Nov 14, 2022
Korean pianist Lee Hyuk wins top prize at Long-Thibaud International Competition Korean pianist Lee Hyuk performs on stage during the Long-Thibaud International Competition held at Chatelet Theater in Paris, Nov. 13. YonhapKorean pianist Lee Hyuk has won the first prize at the Long-Thibaud International Competition held in France, along with Japanese pianist Masaya Kamei, according to its organizer.The 22-year-old played Sergei Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 2 in the final contest that closed at Chatelet Theater in Paris on Sunday (local time). Lee became the second Korean pianist honored at the prestigious classical music competition created in 1943, following Lim Dong-hyek in 2001. He will receive a cash prize of 35,000 euros ($36,238) from the organizer and will be invited to some 20 major festivals that would help him launch a career in the professional music world, Fondation Long-Thibaud said on its official website.The laureate will also be available for financial support, recording opportunities and concert proposals, it said.Out of 112 applications from 41 countries, 32 candidates were qualified to take part in the eliminatory round and six made the finalNov 14, 2022
Korean pianist Lim Yunchan signs with IMG Artists Korean pianist Lim Yunchan / Courtesy of MOC ProductionRising Korean pianist Lim Yunchan has signed a contract with the international classical music management company IMG Artists. "IMG Artists is thrilled to announce that the sensational pianist, Yunchan Lim, joins its roster for General Management," the company said in a press release posted on its official website Tuesday.The 18-year-old rose to international stardom after becoming the youngest person to ever win gold at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in June with his astonishing performance of Rachmaninov's Piano Concerto No. 3. He will be represented by two managers from the company's London office in conjunction with MOC Production for Asia, IMG added. "I'm very excited and delighted to be joining IMG Artists," Lim was quoted as saying in the release. "I will now be represented globally, and I am looking forward to sharing my music making with the greatest audiences in the most renowned concert halls."Lim is currently in his second year at the Korean National University of Arts and plans to go on recital toursOct 26, 2022
Liverpool Philharmonic conductor Libor Pesek dies at 89 Czech conductor Libor Pesek conducts during a concert with Czech National Symphony Orchestra in Municipal House, Prague, in this Jan. 18, 2017, file photo. Pesek, a Czech classical music conductor known for leading the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic for a decade died on Sunday at the age of 89. AP-YonhapLibor Pesek, a Czech classical music conductor best-known for leading the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic for a decade, has died. He was 89.Pesek died on Sunday, said Jan Hasenohrl, the director of the Czech National Symphony Orchestra where Pesek was a chief conductor till 2019. Pesek worked with several orchestras at home and abroad. He was a great supporter of music from Czech composers, above all Josef Dvorak's pupil and son-in-law Josef Suk. His recordings and concerts with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic contributed to making Suk's music known worldwide. ``It happened primarily because the time was right for presenting unknown pieces in Britain, even Czech pieces, and also it was still a right time to make some recordings,'' he once said in an interview for Czech public radio.Pesek Oct 24, 2022
