Legends convene: Esa-Pekka Salonen, Krystian Zimerman, New York Philharmonic return to Seoul

NY Phil in Seoul after 11 years and Zimerman at the Arts Center after 22 years
After 11 years, the New York Philharmonic returns to Seoul. And after 22 years, pianist Krystian Zimerman finally steps back onto the stage of the Seoul Arts Center. These two long-awaited returns will be joined by Finnish conductor and composer Esa-Pekka Salonen, making for one of the most anticipated events in Korea's classical music calendar this year.
From June 26 to 28, audiences will witness performances that span from Beethoven's transcendence to Berlioz's hallucinatory vision, as these musical giants gather for a rare collaboration.
Founded in 1842 and shaped by towering figures like Mahler and Bernstein, the New York Philharmonic now enters a new era under incoming music director Gustavo Dudamel, set to take the helm in 2026. In the meantime, the ensemble is led on this tour by Finnish conductor-composer Salonen, renowned for his architectural precision and intellectual clarity.
The orchestra is not only a familiar name among classical music fans, but also a symbol of cultural diplomacy, having made international headlines in 2008 with its historic performance in Pyongyang, North Korea.
Adding to the rarity is the return of Zimerman, widely regarded as one of the greatest living pianists. Known for his perfectionism, Zimerman last performed at the Seoul Arts Center in 2003 in his Korea debut recital and since then has limited his Seoul appearances to Lotte Concert Hall.
His reunion with the New York Philharmonic, nearly 30 years after their last collaboration in 1996, is all the more symbolic given Zimerman's 2009 protest against US military policy, after which he vowed not to perform in the US -- a pledge he has upheld.
The June 27 program opens with Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4, featuring Zimerman at the keyboard, followed by Beethoven's Symphony No. 3, 'Eroica.' The following evening shifts toward the French Impressionists and Romantics, as Salonen leads the orchestra through Ravel's "Mother Goose" suite, Debussy's 'La Mer' and Berlioz's 'Symphonie fantastique.'
Art Center Incheon will host the same Beethoven program on June 26.
Tickets range from 100,000 won ($72.55) to 530,000 won for June 27 and from 90,000 to 480,000 won for June 26 and 28.

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Korea Herald

2 days ago

• Korea Herald

Legends convene: Esa-Pekka Salonen, Krystian Zimerman, New York Philharmonic return to Seoul

NY Phil in Seoul after 11 years and Zimerman at the Arts Center after 22 years After 11 years, the New York Philharmonic returns to Seoul. And after 22 years, pianist Krystian Zimerman finally steps back onto the stage of the Seoul Arts Center. These two long-awaited returns will be joined by Finnish conductor and composer Esa-Pekka Salonen, making for one of the most anticipated events in Korea's classical music calendar this year. From June 26 to 28, audiences will witness performances that span from Beethoven's transcendence to Berlioz's hallucinatory vision, as these musical giants gather for a rare collaboration. Founded in 1842 and shaped by towering figures like Mahler and Bernstein, the New York Philharmonic now enters a new era under incoming music director Gustavo Dudamel, set to take the helm in 2026. In the meantime, the ensemble is led on this tour by Finnish conductor-composer Salonen, renowned for his architectural precision and intellectual clarity. The orchestra is not only a familiar name among classical music fans, but also a symbol of cultural diplomacy, having made international headlines in 2008 with its historic performance in Pyongyang, North Korea. Adding to the rarity is the return of Zimerman, widely regarded as one of the greatest living pianists. Known for his perfectionism, Zimerman last performed at the Seoul Arts Center in 2003 in his Korea debut recital and since then has limited his Seoul appearances to Lotte Concert Hall. His reunion with the New York Philharmonic, nearly 30 years after their last collaboration in 1996, is all the more symbolic given Zimerman's 2009 protest against US military policy, after which he vowed not to perform in the US -- a pledge he has upheld. The June 27 program opens with Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4, featuring Zimerman at the keyboard, followed by Beethoven's Symphony No. 3, 'Eroica.' The following evening shifts toward the French Impressionists and Romantics, as Salonen leads the orchestra through Ravel's "Mother Goose" suite, Debussy's 'La Mer' and Berlioz's 'Symphonie fantastique.' Art Center Incheon will host the same Beethoven program on June 26. Tickets range from 100,000 won ($72.55) to 530,000 won for June 27 and from 90,000 to 480,000 won for June 26 and 28.

Korea Herald

3 days ago

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Berlin Philharmonic to return to Seoul for three concerts

The Berlin Philharmonic will return to Korea after a two-year absence, this time under the leadership of Kirill Petrenko. For the first time, the orchestra will give three performances in Korea, Nov. 7-9. Korean pianist Kim Sun-wook, who debuted with the Berlin Philharmonic in 2021, will join the orchestra in performing Schumann's Piano Concerto on Nov. 7 and 9. Also on the program for the two dates are Wagner's "Siegfried Idyll," Schumann's "Manfred" Overture and Brahms' Symphony No. 1. The Nov. 8 program will feature Leos Janacek's "Lachian Dances," filled with lively Czech folk influences; Bela Bartok's "The Miraculous Mandarin Suite," driven by bold percussion rhythms; and Igor Stravinsky's "Petrushka," one of the composer's three great ballets. All three concerts will take place at the Seoul Arts Center. In 2023, returning to Korea for the first time since 2017, the Berlin Philharmonic's concerts in Seoul sold out in just 40 seconds, demonstrating the orchestra's immense popularity in Korea. At that time, celebrated pianist Cho Seong-Jin, the orchestra's artist in residence for the 2024/25 season, joined the orchestra as the soloist for the second concert, performing Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4. The November performances in Korea will mark the first leg of the orchestra's Asia tour, during which it will stop in major Asian cities such as Taipei, Shanghai and Tokyo. In Taipei, the orchestra will perform at the National Concert Hall on Nov. 12 and 13. On Nov. 15 and 16, the orchestra will take the stage at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center. In Japan, the orchestra will offer four concerts between Nov. 19 and 23 at Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Minato Mirai Hall in Yokohama, and Muza Kawasaki Symphony Hall in Kawasaki, before returning to Suntory Hall on Nov. 23 to wrap up the Asia tour. Ticket prices for the Korean concerts range from 110,000 won ($80.26) to 550,000 won.

Korea Herald

4 days ago

• Korea Herald

[Grace Kao] Fans swarm Hybe as four BTS members return

The world, but Army in particular, welcomed BTS members RM, V, Jimin and Jungkook back to civilian life last week. Members Jin and J-Hope returned earlier in 2024, and Suga is due to complete his military service on June 21, 2025. Nowhere was the excitement more physically palpable than in Seoul at the Hybe Headquarters in Yongsan-gu. Starting on June 10, crowds of Army waited for RM and V to return following their discharge from the military. On June 11, Army gathered to wait for Jimin and Jungkook's return. I spent some time at the Hybe Building on Wednesday morning. It was a beautiful sunny day, which matched the mood of the crowd. There were at least five buses with welcome messages for the members, and large banners hung from nearby buildings. One bus was covered in purple and included photos of the group together with the message '12 Years with You. Russian Army.' Another had a photo of the group, and there were other buses that celebrated individual members' returns. At the Hybe building, two large banners proclaimed, 'We are back,' with the W and the A in "back" substituted with the signifiers for BTS and Army, respectively. Other banners celebrated Jimin and Jungkook in particular. I saw thousands of Army standing on the blocks surrounding the Hybe building. I heard Jungkook's 'Seven' loudly playing from a truck that drove past the crowds, and we happily sang along. While the crowd was at least 90 percent women, I saw people of all ethnicities and ages, and my best guess is that the vast majority were not local Koreans nor were they teenagers. Many international and older Armies made a pilgrimage to BTS' mothership. After all, it takes considerable resources to finance a trip to Korea from abroad. I first spoke to Bethania, 23, who came from Chile and had been in Korea as an international student since February. She told me she had been a BTS fan since 2015 and that Taehyung/V was her bias, and her favorite BTS song was '2! 3!' However, she first became interested in K-pop via 2NE1. Leandra, 29, is originally from Brazil, but currently lives in Germany. She traveled to Korea from Karlsbrune, Germany, just for these members' return despite having 'only been a fan for two years.' Her bias was, like mine, J-Hope. She told me that her favorite song was 'Crystal Snow' — one of BTS' Japanese singles with which I was unfamiliar. Next, I met Luna and Zara, 20-somethings who traveled from Singapore. Luna has been a fan since 2013 and named Jungkook as her bias. Zara explained that she had been a fan since 2018, and that RM was her bias. They planned a two-week trip to Korea for Festa, and were on their way to Busan to visit Jimin's father's cafe. Luna had been to Korea a total of four times, while this was Zara's second trip to Korea. I also chatted with Julie, 57, who hailed from the UK. This was her first time in Korea, and she planned a 29-day trip just for BTS. She has been a fan since 2017 and her bias was Jimin. She couldn't name a favorite BTS song because 'there are just too many.' She happily showed me the 15 or so tattoos that covered her arms — all were related to BTS (although one might have been in honor of Wanna One). She was thrilled to be in Seoul and planned to travel throughout the country. Twenty-something Jaeren was one of the few men I saw, but he admitted that he wasn't a hardcore fan. In fact, he was with his 50-something mom who has been a true Army since 2020. This was their first trip to Korea. They flew to Seoul from Los Angeles, California, and planned a three-week trip around BTS. His favorite song was 'Idol' and his bias was also Jungkook. I could see many other women from different nationalities gathered around. One of the banners bore the Turkish flag. I heard Chinese Mandarin. I saw many Japanese women in their 40, 50s and 60s, but I was unable to communicate with them. I don't know if the BTS members worry about being forgotten. I imagine that it must cross their minds as dozens of boy groups have debuted during BTS members' time in the military. Other groups have seen their popularity rise in the absence of BTS. However, I don't think they should worry too much, especially when it comes to international Army. People who traveled from abroad clearly made their presence felt by spending their time and money on welcoming RM, V, Jimin and Jungkook back. However, the elation I witnessed was really about the imminent reunification of the biggest boy group in the world. I know that Disneyland calls itself 'The Happiest Place on Earth.' However, at least for two days last week, Hybe may have claimed that spot for the BTS Armies that were there.