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ed Hurdles for concert hall

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  • Published Dec 13, 2015 4:45 pm KST
  • Updated Dec 13, 2015 4:45 pm KST

The orchestras of smaller cities like Daegu and Daejeon already have their own concert halls, where they rehearse, perform and carve their distinctive sounds. So why is it taking so long for the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) ― one of Asia’s finest ― to get its own home? This has been a lingering question for many classical music fans, critics and musicians.

Their frustration over the overdue SPO concert hall has deepened as the Seoul City Council shows signs of shelving the project. SPO music director Chung Myung-whun’s dream of an exclusive hall hit another setback last week after the council decided to leave preparations for the hall out of its budget plan for 2016 amid lingering opposition. The council’s decision will likely hamper the Seoul City administration’s plan to complete the hall by 2020.

The SPO now needs to clear opposition from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other organizations. The ministry, near the hall’s proposed place close to the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, is worried that a huge concert venue may result in protocol and security hindrances. The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning is also unhappy with the project, because the ministry is opposed to removing a Joseon-era monument sitting in the proposed location of the hall that marks the start of Korea’s telecommunications. The Hangeul Association is accusing the Seoul City administration of abandoning its previous pledge to develop the area as a “Mecca of Hangeul” by building a concert hall.

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon has recognized the need for the nation’s top orchestra to have its own hall. However, he has so far not shown enough commitment to clearing administrative hurdles and convincing naysayers.

Chung, who is discussing a new contract with the SPO, has said that Seoul’s support for an exclusive hall would be a prerequisite to continuing his tenure with the orchestra. Whether Chung remains in Seoul or not, it is time for a fine orchestra like the SPO to have its own hall. The mayor should not overlook any further hindrances.

An SPO hall is in the interest of the mayor and the orchestra. He can take credit for upgrading Seoul’s cultural status by giving the nation’s oldest orchestra its first concert hall. A resident hall is crucial for the growth of an orchestra like the SPO, which is one of only a handful among Asian orchestras to gain global recognition with lucrative recording deals and overseas tours.