Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the Korea Festival Ensemble has prepared a special musical feast for the whole family to enjoy. In May, they will present ‘Concert, First Outing’ for children, and in October, ‘For Me, This One Song’ for classical music lovers, promising an inspiring experience that transcends generations and tastes.
The Culmination of a 40-Year Musical Journey, ‘Temptation, the Fortieth Movement’
Founded in 1986 under the leadership of pianist Park Eun-hee, the Korea Festival Ensemble is a profound musical organization comprising over 50 performers across strings, winds, percussion, keyboards, and vocals. Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, the ensemble will hold two special planned concerts under the title ‘Temptation, the Fortieth Movement,’ showcasing their accumulated musical prowess and expertise. This can be seen as the culmination of their long-standing efforts to popularize classical music.
This ‘Concert Outing’ will welcome audiences with programs tailored to different atmospheres and target audiences on May 16th and October 17th, respectively. These concerts, to be held at Ilshin Hall in Hannam-dong, have a clear goal of lowering the barrier to classical music through familiar programs, concise explanations, and narration. This will provide an opportunity for those who found classical music difficult and distant to approach it easily and comfortably.
In particular, the Korea Festival Ensemble has showcased a wide repertoire and profound interpretations, matching its diverse lineup of performers. Commemorating its meaningful 40th anniversary, they plan to reflect on their past and envision the ensemble’s future path with the audience through these two concerts. It is expected to be a venue for connection and empathy beyond mere music.
First Classical Experience for Children, ‘Concert, First Outing’
On Saturday, May 16th at 3 PM, Ilshin Hall will host ‘Concert, First Outing,’ breaking the conventional practice of restricting entry for preschool children by inviting young audiences aged 3 to 7. This concert is a customized program designed to help children develop musical sensibilities by introducing them to classical music for the first time. Booster seats are permitted if needed, but zippers or metal decorations are restricted for safety.
A total of 7 pieces will be performed at this concert, with diverse music selected to suit children’s perspectives. Mozart’s ‘Variations on Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star’ will awaken musical sensibilities through its familiar melody, while Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘Flight of the Bumblebee’ will evoke interest with its vivid depiction of a bee’s movement. Additionally, Lee Heung-ryeol’s children’s song ‘Island Home Baby’ will offer lyrical emotion, and Olivier Messiaen’s ‘Le merle noir’ (Blackbird) will provide a unique experience by translating actual bird sounds into music.
Furthermore, Rossini’s ‘William Tell Overture’ will deliver the thrilling essence of classical music, and Prokofiev’s ‘Peter and the Wolf’ and Saint-Saëns’ ‘Carnival of the Animals’ will help children naturally recognize instruments and music through various animal characters. Narrator Park Eun-hee will engagingly unfold the stories, accompanied by talented performers including flutist Lee Ju-hee, clarinetist Lee Chang-hee, oboist Lee Hyun-ok, violinists Kim Jin-seung and Lee Ji-young, violist Yoon Yeom-gwang, cellist Jang Woo-ri, double bassist Lee Chang-hyung, and pianists Shin Sang-jin and Lim Jae-han, who will present an unforgettable first classical music experience to the children.
My Own Masterpiece to Cherish, ‘For Me, This One Song’
On Saturday, October 17th at 3 PM, ‘For Me, This One Song,’ held at the same Ilshin Hall, will be a ‘classical memory playlist’ featuring art songs, opera arias, piano pieces, and chamber music masterpieces that everyone might want to cherish. It will be a time to reawaken the emotions and beauty momentarily forgotten in daily life through profound classical music.
The concert will feature the spiritual melodies of the American South, ‘Deep River,’ ‘Oh Shenandoah,’ and ‘Swanee River,’ performed by mezzo-soprano Kim Ji-sun, tenor Jo Jung-hyuk, and soprano Kwon Eun-ju, accompanied by pianist Jung Young-ha, delivering warm emotion. Following this, pianist Song Young-min will add deep lyricism with Chopin’s ‘Nocturne in C# minor,’ and a string quartet comprising violinists Kim Jin-seung and Lee Sang-hyo, violist Kim Hye-yong, and cellist Heo Cheol will present beautiful melodies with Johann Pachelbel’s ‘Canon in D’ and Bach’s ‘Air on the G String’.
Furthermore, art songs that set German Romantic poetry to melody, such as Beethoven’s ‘Adelaide,’ Mendelssohn’s ‘On Wings of Song,’ and Schubert’s ‘Der Lindenbaum’ (The Linden Tree), will convey profound emotions performed by bass-baritone Yoon Jong-min, mezzo-soprano Kim Ji-sun, and tenor Jo Jung-hyuk, accompanied by pianist Song Young-min. Lovely masterpieces like Elgar’s ‘Salut d’Amour’ and Massenet’s ‘Méditation from Thaïs,’ along with Korean art songs such as Yoon Hak-jun’s ‘Ma-jung’ and Cho Hye-young’s ‘Mot-i-jeo’ (Unforgettable), will also be presented. Finally, a diverse array of opera arias by renowned composers including Lehár, Gounod, Verdi, and Bizet will complete a rich stage, through all of which the audience will discover ‘one song’ filled with their own memories.
The Korea Festival Ensemble’s 40th-anniversary special concerts are more than just commemorative performances; they are meaningful events designed for all ages to experience classical music easily and enjoyably. They will contribute to the popularization of classical music by bringing excitement about music to children and unforgettable memories and emotions to adults. We hope you will savor the beautiful moments of this 40-year musical journey with the profound musical world of the Korea Festival Ensemble.
