Pianists Choue Hee-youn, Eric Zuber to perform duo recital in SeoulPianists Choue Hee-youn and Eric Zuber will hold a duo recital this week, featuring works by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Franz Liszt, Claude Debussy and Sergei Rachmaninoff. The program includes the Sonata for Two Pianos in D major, K. 448 by Mozart; "Réminiscences de Don Juan for two pianos," S. 656 by Liszt; "Petite Suite for piano four hands," L. 65 by Debussy; and Suite No. 2 for two pianos, Op. 17 by Rachmaninoff. Choue won the Harrison Winter Competition and placed second in the Yale Gordon Piano Competition. Also, she was selected to participate in the Conservatory Project organized by the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. She has performed at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall in New York; the Terrace Theater at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.; and the Merkin Hall at the Kaufman Music Center in New York. She has also collaborated with the Manhattan Chamber Orchestra. Choue currently teaches at Yonsei University, Sungshin Women’s University and Chung-Ang University and serves as a visiting professor at the Graduate School of Dankook University's department of music. Zuber,Jul 7, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
Hic et Nunc! Festival invites Bernard Werber to fuse literature, musicThe classical music festival Hic et Nunc! — Latin for “here and now” — will return for its eighth edition from Aug. 22 to Sept. 5, featuring acclaimed French writer Bernard Werber as a guest narrator. One of the most beloved foreign authors in Korea, Werber will read excerpts from his latest book, "Le Temps des Chimeres" (2023), at the opening of a concert on Aug. 27. The book is set to be published in Korean during his visit. His reading will be followed by the world premiere of "Chimeric Suite," composed by Kim Te-xu, taking inspiration from Werber’s book. The piece was commissioned by the festival’s organizer. “I think this is a very creative project,” Werber said during a Zoom meeting with Korean journalists Tuesday. “As a writer, I’ve always felt a bit disappointed that I don’t get to see the reactions of my readers. But through this project, I’ll be able to witness how people respond to my words. I have high expectations for this event.” Organized by the Sejong Soloists, Hic et Nunc! is known for its focus on contemporary trends in classical music, new compJul 2, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
New Korean song cycle satirizes toll of marriage, parenting todayIn 1840, German composer Robert Schumann created a cycle of 16 short songs depicting the emotional journey of a poet who experiences love, joy, heartbreak and bitterness. This month, two Korean musicians are presenting a modern-day counterpart: a new song cycle satirizing the struggles of staying together for couples and raising children in Korea’s harsh social and economic climate. A song cycle is a series of thematically connected songs meant to be performed in sequence. Titled “Uphill All the Way,” this cycle features 16 songs performed by a baritone, a soprano and a pianist. Some of the lyrics express the everyday struggles faced by modern couples in a satirical way. "Having kids feels like lifelong chains, With prices soaring, who really gains? Med-school prep at just age 7 — Our poor little one, born into second-class pain." The project is part of Ryu Jea-joon’s ongoing effort to make classical music, often seen as inaccessible or esoteric, more relatable and engaging for modern audiences. “Brilliant vocalists who studied abroad at prestigious institutions return to Korea aJul 1, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
Pianist Kim Sae-hyun rises as new classical music star after Long-Thibaud-Crespin winPianist Kim Sae-hyun, 18, is emerging as one of Korea’s most promising classical musicians, after winning an award at the Long-Thibaud-Crespin Competition in Paris. In March, the pianist won the first grand prize at the prestigious French competition, becoming the third Korean pianist to win the first grand prize, following Lim Dong-hyek in 2001 and Lee Hyuk in 2022. “Winning the Long-Thibaud Competition has been meaningful because it opened so many doors for me to perform,” Kim said during a press conference with Korean media in Seoul, Thursday. Shortly after his win, Kim signed with Warner Classics, a renowned classical music label, beginning his professional career. His debut recording is scheduled for release by the end of 2026. Kim has also been invited to give a solo performance near the Eiffel Tower on July 14 in celebration of France’s Bastille Day, as well as another solo recital at the Festival International de Piano de La Roque d’Antheron. A former child prodigy, Kim is currently studying at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston under the guidance of pianistJun 26, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
NY Phil returns to Seoul after 11 years; Zimerman ends US orchestra hiatusThe New York Philharmonic is returning to Seoul for its first concerts in 11 years. Also noteworthy is that these performances will feature acclaimed pianist Krystian Zimerman's first collaboration with an American orchestra since he began boycotting performances in the United States in 2009 in protest of its military policies. At a press conference in Seoul on Wednesday, Finnish conductor-composer Esa-Pekka Salonen, who will lead the concerts, said he was happy to be back in Korea, which he described as "such a musical country." He added the visit is "particularly special because I'm reunited with my dear friend Zimerman." "For me, returning to Korea means reuniting with someone I've admired for decades, both as an artist and as a friend," he said. He described Zimerman as "a very unusual artist in the best sense" for his "narrow repertoire," mostly due to the Polish pianist's extensive amount of research and preparation. "He wants to know each piece not only inside and out, but also backwards and forwards. He explores every dimension of the work," the conductor said of Zimerman, who coJun 25, 2025By Yonhap
Lim Yun-chan to release new ‘Tchaikovsky: The Seasons’ album in AugustPianist Lim Yun-chan will release his new album “Tchaikovsky: The Seasons” on Aug. 22 through Decca Classics, reinterpreting the Russian composer’s 12-part piano suite as a personal reflection on the final year of a human life. Pre-release track “June. Barcarolle. Andante cantabile,” the sixth piece in the set, dropped on streaming platforms Friday. Rather than a simple journey through the calendar months, Lim’s interpretation offers an emotional journey through sorrow, memory, joy and ultimately acceptance. “‘The Seasons’ contains the story of a life nearing its end,” Lim said in a statement. “It begins with someone sitting by a hearth, the fire gradually dimming, lost in a mix of sorrow, reverie and hope. Eventually, they return to the present, accepting everything and quietly organizing the day that will never come again.” The album was recorded at the Menuhin Hall in Surrey, the U.K., and features cover art by Korean artist and Lim’s longtime friend Choi Ho-yeon, mirroring the album’s introspective tone. Lim praised Choi on Instagram as an artist “whoseJun 20, 2025By Kwon Mee-yoo
'90s rock legends to headline Korean festivals as Gen X nostalgia meets Gen Z curiosityThe icons of 1990s rock, from Oasis and Suede to Beck and The Smashing Pumpkins, are making a major comeback on Korea’s live music stages, drawing not only their Gen X contemporaries but also growing numbers of younger fans in their 20s and 30s. Coldplay, Guns N’ Roses, Oasis, Pulp, Suede, Beck and The Smashing Pumpkins are among the acts that have recently performed or are scheduled to perform in Korea. Except for Coldplay, which debuted in the early 2000s, most of these bands rose to prominence in the 1990s. Many in the crowd, particularly those in their 20s and 30s, are children, nieces or nephews of Gen Xers and Millennials — the primary audience that once defined the heyday of 1990s rock festivals. Among the so-called “Big Four” of Britpop — Oasis, Blur, Suede, and Pulp — three are scheduled to visit Korea within the span of a month. Pulp will perform in Korea for the first time at the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival from Aug. 1 to 3. Known for 1995 hits like “Disco 2000” and “Common People” from the album “Different Class,” Pulp has maintained global fameJun 19, 2025By Hankookilbo
Sumi Jo celebrates French honor, unveils concert, future plansCelebrated soprano Sumi Jo on Monday expressed gratitude for the support and love from her fans throughout her career, which culminated in her receiving a prestigious French cultural award. Last month, she was honored with France's Commandeur of the Order of Arts and Letters, the highest rank of the three-tier honor bestowed by the French Ministry of Culture, in recognition of her contributions to French art. "I am wearing this medal today with gratitude, not as my personal glory but as an honor for my country. I would like to share this honor with you all," she said at a press conference for her upcoming opera concert, "The Magic, Sumi Jo & Winners." The concert will feature the winners of the singing competition she hosted in France last July. She said the competition was designed to support young vocalists, particularly those from Asia and South America, who she believes "need a little more support to stand on the main stage in Europe." Chinese baritone Zihao Li was the overall winner, followed by Romanian tenor George Ionut Virban and Korean tenor Lee Kiup. "I couldn't believe when IJun 16, 2025By Yonhap
Summer concerts to hear maestro Chung Myung-whun liveJune and July are packed with performances by maestro Chung Myung-whun, who was recently appointed the first Asian music director of Italy’s La Scala Theater, stirring excitement among classical music fans in Korea. A pianist and conductor, Chung is currently serving as honorary conductor of KBS Symphony Orchestra and artistic director of Classic Busan, which operates the Busan Concert Hall opening later this month and the Busan Opera House scheduled to open in 2027. He will officially begin his tenure at Italy’s famed opera house in early 2027. On Sunday, Chung will join the KBS Symphony Orchestra and pianist Sunwoo Ye-kwon for an outdoor performance in Busan, featuring Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 “Emperor” and Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67 “Fate.” The same program will be performed in Gyeongju and Gumi, North Gyeongsang Province, on June 13 and 14, respectively. On Thursday, Chung will again lead the KBS Symphony Orchestra at Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul for the orchestra’s regular concert. The program includes Beethoven’s “EmperorJun 5, 2025By Kim Se-jeong
Interview35 years, one voice: How rock musician Bae Chul-soo became Korea's most beloved radio legendThe voice enters the room before the man does. It's calm but commanding, a familiar tone that has drifted through Korean homes, offices and car radios for over three decades. When Bae Chul-soo, the iconic host of Korea's most beloved daily radio show, "Bae Chul-soo's Music Camp," walked into his studio at MBC's headquarters for an exclusive interview with The Korea Times May 30, he did not need to introduce himself — his voice already had. At 71, Bae's presence was surprisingly sharp and vibrant — like a vintage vinyl record that hasn’t lost its fidelity. "Music is most of who I am," he said, reflecting on a life of music, from rock concerts to live radio broadcasts during the interview. "I've spent my whole life listening to it, loving it, singing along. In the late 1970s, I was in a band, playing and creating music. Then in 1990, I started introducing music as a disc jockey. My life is practically all music. It's hard to talk about myself without it." He paused, then, with a gentle smile, added: "There's a song by John Miles called 'Music.' The lyrics go, 'Music was my first love,Jun 5, 2025By Pyo Kyung-min
