Belgian National Orchestra to make Korea debut, reuniting with pianist Paik Hae-sun after 34 years
The Belgian National Orchestra will make its long-awaited Korean debut this fall.
From Sept. 24 to 30, the ensemble will present six performances across the country, beginning at Seoul Arts Center. The program will feature Paik Hae-sun, one of Korea's most iconic pianists and a renowned educator, in a long-anticipated reunion with the orchestra after 34 years.
Paik will join the BNO and conductor Antony Hermus to perform Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5, the 'Emperor.' Their last collaboration dates back to 1991, when Paik was a finalist at the Queen Elisabeth Competition, performing Tchaikovsky's "Piano Concerto No. 1" and Patrice Challulau's "Vers La Cite Du Chagrin" under the baton of Ronald Zollman. The BNO, which serves as the resident orchestra of Brussels' BOZAR Centre for Fine Arts, is a longtime partner of the Queen Elisabeth Competition.
Paik placed fourth at the 1991 Queen Elisabeth Competition, which is still the highest result for a South Korean pianist, matched only by Han Ji-ho in 2016. While Korean musicians have taken top prizes in violin, voice and composition categories, the piano division remains elusive. Paik, now 60, made history as a laureate of nearly every major international competition she entered, became the first Korean pianist to sign with EMI ClassicsCand was appointed to the faculty of Seoul National University at age 29.
The tour will feature a traditional repertoire, opening with the overture to Mozart's "La Clemenza Di Tito," which was composed in the final year of his life. The second half will feature Brahms' "Symphony No. 1."
Dutch conductor Hermus, who took over as music director of the Belgian National Orchestra in 2022 following Hugh Wolff's tenure, will be returning to Korea for the fourth time. He previously led the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra in 2016, 2018 and 2019.
Both Hermus and Paik are deeply committed to nurturing the next generation of musicians. Hermus holds visiting posts at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam and the National Master of Orchestral Conducting program, and regularly teaches at the Sibelius Academy and the Royal Northern College of Music.
Paik serves as chair of the piano department at the New England Conservatory and continues to mentor young talents, including 2025 Long-Thibaud winner Kim Se-hyun.
The BNO traces its origins to the Brussels Symphony Orchestra, founded in 1931 by Belgian conductor Desire Defauw (1885-1960). In 1936, the ensemble was renamed the Belgian National Orchestra, which is considered its official founding year.
The Korean tour will include stops at Andong Arts Center in Andong, North Gyeongsang Province, on Sept. 25; Gyeonggi Arts Center in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, on Sept. 26; Gongju Culture and Arts Center in Gongju, South Chungcheong Province, on Sept. 27; Daegu Concert House in Daegu on Sept. 28; and Goyang AramNuri in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on Sept. 30 as part of the DMZ Open Festival.
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