Busan sets eyes on becoming Asia's classical music hub with new concert hall
Korea's second-largest city has brand new concert hall and maestro Chung Myung-whun
BUSAN - Soon, Busan will be known for more than just films -- it's on track to become a major hub of classical music with the opening of a world-class concert hall in June and an opera house set to debut in 2027.
Busan, Korea's second-largest city with a population of 3.28 million, on Monday unveiled its artistic vision and plans for Busan Concert Hall opening festival set to take place June 20-28 and more.
After performing Brahms' Intermezzo Op.117, Chung Myung-whun, the artistic director of Classic Busan, a municipal office of Busan Metropolitan City responsible for operating Busan Concert Hall and Busan Opera House, said that he was very satisfied with the sound quality of the concert hall.
'Later, when the hall is packed with audience members, the sound will change, and we'll have to wait and see how it truly unfolds. However, the most important thing for a performer is the feeling of the hall while playing -- the atmosphere, the overall sensation. Based on our judgment, it turned out very well,' Chung told reporters during a press conference on Monday.
With its 2,011-seat hall, Busan hopes Busan Concert Hall will become the much-needed solution to the city's shortage of performance venues. Busan has only one-third the number of performance venues compared to Seoul and half the national average, while the utilization rate of these venues is twice the national average.
"There was an assessment that Busan's classical music base was weak, but it has grown significantly. By promoting new programs in the new concert hall, it can become a classical hub that encompasses Busan, Ulsan and South Gyeongsang Province," Busan Mayor Park Hyeong-jun said.
"Busan has often been excluded when orchestras go on nationwide tours, but this is expected to lead to an overall expansion of the market. Orchestras on tour tend to choose venues based on factors such as the size of the theater and the atmosphere of the region. Given its convenient location for traveling to China and Japan, I believe this is an advantage," Park Min-jeong, CEO of Classic Busan, noted.
Maestro Chung has a bigger vision for Busan, however.
'Looking at the artistic vision for Busan, my dream is for this city to become a truly special musical star in Asia, a meeting point for music in Asia,' Chung noted.
"Korea started as a poor country and has grown into a prosperous one. Now, it's time to become a great nation -- one that helps others. To become a great nation, wealth alone is not enough. As culture and the arts flourish, people find greater ease, fostering a spirit of sharing and deeper connection with others,' Chung told reporters during a press conference held at Busan Concert Hall in Busan on Monday.
The opening concert will focus on a composer who redefined the history of classical music and who Chung has turned to at important moments -- Beethoven.
The opening festival will kick off June 20 with Beethoven's 'Triple Concerto' and Symphony No. 9 'Choral,' on June 20, featuring violinist Sayaka Shoji, cellist Jian Wang, and the Asia Philharmonic Orchestra. The APO is a project orchestra formed for the opening of Busan Concert Hall and comprises Asian musicians who are members of internationally acclaimed orchestras.
The festival will continue with a piano recital by Cho Seong-jin on June 22, chamber music performances by Sunwoo Ye-kwon on June 23 and Chung Myung-whun on June 25, featuring solo piano works and diverse ensemble formations, such as piano trios and quintets. Cho Seong-jin will focus on piano sonatas by Beethoven and Brahms, while Sunwoo and Chung will perform chamber music pieces with members of APO.
On June 24, organist Cho Jae-hyuck will give an organ recital featuring Beethoven Symphony No. 5 and Mussorgsky's 'Pictures at an Exhibition,' showcasing the instrument's rich tonal depth. Busan Concert Hall is equipped with a pipe organ manufactured by the German company Freiburger, featuring 4,406 pipes and 62 stops.
The festival will conclude with a concert opera production of 'Fidelio,' Beethoven's only opera, on June 27 and 28. The cast includes world-renowned tenor Eric Cutler, soprano Hratchuhi Bassenz and bass Wilhelm Schwinghammer, alongside Korean baritone Son Ji-hoon, the Busan City Choir and the National Choir.
Busan Concert Hall, located within Busan Citizens Park, stands on a site steeped in 100 years of modern history. Originally used as a Japanese military training ground and later as a US military camp, the land was eventually returned to Busan after years of civic activism.
The venue is expected to form a new cultural cluster alongside the nearby National Busan Gugak Center and Busan Opera House, which is set to open in 2027.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
14 hours ago
- Korea Herald
La Scala's Ortombina on maestro Chung Myung-whun, Verdi and opera's future
BUSAN -- During the opening weekend of Busan's much-anticipated new concert hall, conductor Chung Myung-whun -- artistic director of Classic Busan, the municipal office overseeing the Busan Concert Hall and the upcoming Busan Opera House -- led a series of inaugural concerts that signaled a new chapter in the city's cultural ambitions. Among those in attendance was Fortunato Ortombina, artistic director of Milan's Teatro alla Scala, one of the world's most storied opera houses. Ortombina, who has worked closely with Maestro Chung over two decades, shared personal reflections and outlined a vision for deepening ties between Busan and La Scala. In an interview with Korean media on Saturday, Ortombina recalled his first glimpse of Chung in 1992. At the time, Ortombina was a student and tour guide in the city of Verdi's birth. A group of American tourists offered him a ticket to La Scala for a performance of "Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk" by Shostakovich, conducted by Chung. "I sat just five meters away," Ortombina remembered. Their first formal meeting came in 2003 at Teatro La Fenice in Venice, when Chung led the Orchestra of Santa Cecilia at the theater's reopening after a devastating fire. From 2003 to 2007, the two worked together at La Scala, where Ortombina served as head of artistic planning. Later, as artistic director of La Fenice for 17 years, Ortombina invited Chung to conduct nearly every year. "He is the conductor I've worked with the most in my life," he noted. Ortombina also highlighted Maestro Chung's enduring relationship with La Scala. Since his debut in 1989, Chung has led more than 180 performances with the Filarmonica della Scala, interpreting a wide range of operatic works — from Shostakovich and Strauss to Mozart and Puccini, with Verdi at the core. 'Verdi is Italy's most important composer,' said Ortombina. 'And although Maestro Chung was born in Busan, his musical sensibility is profoundly Italian.' Chung's deep understanding of Verdi, and his ability to convey emotional truth and narrative clarity, were central to his appointment as the music director of La Scala, Ortombina explained. The decision was made unanimously by the board and the city of Milan, he said. "When I had to choose a new music director, I asked who had the strongest connection with the orchestra and the capacity to shape a long-term project. That person was Maestro Chung," Ortombina said. "Talent is a miracle. Verdi probably didn't even know Korea existed, but his music found fertile ground here." As part of a growing partnership, the Filarmonica della Scala will perform at the Busan Concert Hall in September. Ortombina's three-day trip to Korea includes talks on further collaboration and a site tour of the Busan Opera House, set to open in 2027. With over 20 years of experience leading major opera institutions, Ortombina underscored the importance of public engagement. 'My dream is that five years from now, no one in Milan can say they've never been to La Scala. This is not only an artistic project; it's a social one.' He pointed to initiatives like youth education programs, school tours of opera workshops, and simplified opera adaptations for children. "Opera should be part of humanistic education," he said. "Just like we study Caravaggio or read Thomas Mann, we should experience Verdi." Describing La Scala as "the second home of every Milanese, which was rebuilt even before schools and hospitals after World War II," Ortombina said that "A theater should belong to its city. If Busan's citizens feel ownership of their new opera house, that will be the true success." Speaking about Busan's new opera house, Ortombina reaffirmed his belief in opera's enduring relevance. 'It's not about whether an opera is old. It's about how it speaks to us today. That's what Maestro Chung excels at -- bringing timeless music close to the heart.' On Saturday, Maestro Chung took the stage with the Asia Philharmonic Orchestra -- which he founded in 1997 -- conducting and performing as pianist in Beethoven's Triple Concerto in C major, Op. 56, alongside cellist Jian Wang and violinist Sayaka Shoji. The program culminated in a stirring performance of Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125, 'Choral.' Comprising top-tier musicians from Korea, China and Japan, the Asia Philharmonic Orchestra has alternated between periods of activity and hiatus since its founding. It reconvened under Chung's direction for the opening of the Busan Concert Hall. Reflecting on the evening, Ortombina said, 'I was glad to be part of the historic performance at the Busan Concert Hall. Reflecting on the meaning of the music and the work made it all the more moving. The acoustics were satisfying, and the performance was fantastic!'
Korea Herald
25-05-2025
- Korea Herald
Min Byoung-chul's 'Land of Squid Game' launches in Turkey
"Land of Squid Game," authored by Min Byoung-chul, an endowed chair professor at Chung-Ang University in Seoul, founder of the Sunfull Foundation and a renowned scholar in English education and multicultural studies, was officially published in Turkey this May. Inspired by Netflix's hit series "Squid Game," the bilingual English-Korean book introduces traditional Korean games such as "ttakji chigi" and red light, green light, while centering on the question: 'Why do Koreans speak and behave this way?' Through vivid anecdotes, the author explores uniquely Korean customs — from gifting toilet paper at housewarming parties to the superstition about writing one's name in red, to the emotional concept of "jeong." These cultural aspects are presented in a way that is both informative and accessible. ''Land of Squid Game' offers foreign readers an engaging introduction to Korean life and culture," Min said. "For English learners, it provides a unique opportunity to acquire language skills while introducing K-culture content to foreign visitors. I am particularly delighted to introduce traditional Korean games and values in Turkey, a brother nation with deep historical ties to Korea.' "Land of Squid Game" is currently available at Kyobo Bookstore, major online retailers, and Amazon. The Turkish edition is being distributed through local Turkish publishers. The book has also been published in India and adopted as a university textbook at Gadjah Mada University in Indonesia.
Korea Herald
19-05-2025
- Korea Herald
Chung Myung-whun on ‘my Italian story' that leads to La Scala music director post
Dedicated fan of Verdi, pasta, La Scala and Italy, Korean maestro likens his appointment to 'getting married after loving each other for 36 years.' In a nutshell, what led to the appointment of Korean conductor Chung Myung-whun as the next music director of Teatro alla Scala — the first Asian and only the second non-Italian in its 247-year history — was love. Love for Verdi, for pasta, for Italy, and for La Scala itself. 'It feels like getting married after loving each other for 36 years,' Chung, 72, told reporters at a press conference held Monday at Busan Concert Hall. Since 1989, he has conducted 84 opera performances and 141 concerts at La Scala, ultimately becoming the first-ever honorary conductor of the La Scala Philharmonic in 2023. His number of appearances is surpassed only by the theater's official music directors. 'I don't really know about the politics or whether there was a preference for an Italian,' he said. 'I don't care much about being the first Asian music director. But I was thrilled to hear that I had strong support from the orchestra, chorus and staff at La Scala.' 'There are no words to fully describe it,' he added. 'But with La Scala, it just clicked from the start. They understand exactly what I want to express. I feel a great sense of responsibility. I think about how I can support La Scala's musicians and how I can deliver Verdi's music even better." With his appointment and an even deeper sense of responsibility toward Verdi, Chung finds himself back in study mode. His love for Verdi runs so deep that one of the highest compliments he can give is, 'Perhaps you love Verdi more than I do.' 'I recorded 'Otello' with the Paris Opera over 30 years ago, with Placido Domingo. So now, I feel I have to do it better. That's why I'm taking it on again. My wife asked me, 'You've been doing this your whole life — why are you still studying so hard?' But digging deeper into the music, trying to make it just a little better — that's no easy task. It takes everything I have. But that's what keeps me going.' Chung said that Otello will likely be the first production he conducts after officially assuming the role of music director at La Scala. Among Verdi's operas, "Don Carlo" and "Simon Boccanegra" are his personal favorites. 'Simon Boccanegra especially stands out,' he said. 'The title character embodies what I think a great person should be — generous, warm, noble. That spirit is deeply embedded in the music.' Chung also highlighted music's ability to convey what words cannot — especially messages of love and humanity. He praised Verdi not just as a composer but as a humanitarian, referencing the retirement home for musicians Verdi built in Milan, funded entirely by his royalties. "In a way, Verdi made sure that anyone attending one of his operas was also contributing to a humanitarian cause. Through that act, and through his music, his profound human qualities come through," he said. Chung recalled his first visit to Italy nearly 50 years ago. The young conductor had already developed a love for cooking, having worked in the kitchen of his parents' restaurant in Seattle, since the age of 8. 'With that background,' he said, 'when I went to Italy, I immediately fell in love with Italian food — pasta in particular.' His love for pasta was one of the reasons that drew him to Italy when he decided to spend a year in Europe, during a time when he had few professional engagements. 'I liked the food, and I started to love everything about Italy. And now, it's been 43 years. Then, I thought Italy was the country in Europe most similar to Korea — and the more time passes, the more I believe that,' he added. Though Chung will take the helm of one of the world's most prestigious opera houses, he also hopes to use the opportunity to deepen Korea's cultural identity. 'I hope that when people ask, 'Who are Koreans?' the answer might be, 'They're people who love singing,'' he said. 'I hope Korean people can become less sharp. I hope I can help with that.' He noted shared traits between Koreans and Italians, including passion and a deep love of songs. Chung's vision extends to collaboration between La Scala and the Busan Opera House, which is set to open in 2027. Appointed in 2023 as the artistic director of Classic Busan — a city-run initiative that oversees both Busan Concert Hall and the upcoming opera house — Chung has been deeply involved in shaping the artistic direction of both institutions. His dual role opens the door to new exchanges between Korea and Italy — between Busan and Milan. According to Classic Busan, the partnership will extend beyond performances to include artist exchanges, co-productions, rotating casts, orchestra collaborations, and even shared stagecraft and production technologies. Especially in the early years of Busan Opera House, these collaborations are expected to boost production quality and international competitiveness, Classic Busan noted in a statement. La Scala officially announced Chung's appointment as its next music director on Wednesday, with his tenure beginning in 2027. Founded in 1778, La Scala is a pillar of Italian opera and the site of legendary premieres such as Verdi's "Nabucco," and Puccini's "Madama Butterfly" and "Turandot." Until now, only Daniel Barenboim (2007–2014), an Argentine-Israeli pianist and conductor, has held the position without Italian citizenship. Chung gained international recognition in 1974 by winning second prize in the piano division of the Tchaikovsky Competition. He rose to global prominence as music director of the Opera Bastille in Paris and has conducted nearly every major opera house and orchestra in Europe. Beyond his long-standing relationship with La Scala, he has held major posts with leading orchestras including the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and the Korean Broadcasting System Symphony Orchestra.
