The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra's successful European tour comes to an end
The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s European tour included a tour-de-force concerto that left audiences breathless
One of the most prominent orchestras in Asia
Conducted by Osmo Vänskä, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra embarked on an international tour last October for the first time since visiting Russia in 2019. The orchestra was joined by pianist Sunwook Kim and performed in some of the most prestigious halls across Europe, including Salzburg (Großes Festspielhaus), Amsterdam (Concertgebouw), Vienna (Musikverein Wien) and finishing in London (Cadogan Hall) on Thursday 27 October.
The London concert was presented by the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra but also had support from the Korean Cultural Centre, based in London.
Osmo Vänskä has been the music director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra since 2020 and has also been the music director of the Minnesota Orchestra for 19 years. Vänskä says, ‘I’ve been really happy to have a chance to go on my first international tour with the great Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. I believe that we have a great programme to showcase the orchestra’s strength. We also have two great young soloists: cellist Nicolas Altstaedt and pianist Sunwook Kim. They are both at the top of the international music world right now.’
Standing ovation after Stravinsky's the Firebird at the Concertgebouw
World-class performances
Pianist Sunwook Kim came to recognition when he won the prestigious Leeds International Piano Competition in 2006 aged
18, becoming the contest’s youngest winner for 40 years. He and the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra came together to perform Tchaikovsky's romantic Piano Concerto No.1 with Kim receiving a standing ovation for his concerto at the Concertgebouw.
The second part of the programme began with the UK premiere of Korean composer Unsuk Chin’s Frontispiece. Chin describes the work as ‘a timelapse of a kind of the history of music’. Audiences were able to experience Stravinsky’s Firebird Suite, distilled from his fairy-tale ballet score. The tour truly was an excellent opportunity to see the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra perform in some of the most beautiful and prestigious venues across Europe.