Latest news with #SeoulSpringChamberMusicFestival
Korea Herald
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Interview: French winds and familiar faces who sustain SFF's chamber music spirit
20-year-old Seoul Spring Chamber Music Festival through eyes of four French wind players For a chamber music festival to continue for 20 years, many things must come together. Chief among them are a devoted artistic director, innovative programming, a stable operation and a growing interest in chamber music -- a genre defined by its intimate scale, where a small group of musicians perform without a conductor. Equally vital are the musicians themselves -- both the loyal artists who return year after year and the new participants who bring fresh energy -- who collectively sustain the festival's spirit and artistic quality. For this year's Seoul Spring Chamber Music Festival, taking place April 22-May 4, 69 artists have gathered for 14 performances. Among them are four French wind players: oboist Olivier Doise, clarinetist Romain Guyot, flutist Matthieu Gauci-Ancelin and horn player Herve Joulain. Doise, Guyot and Joulain are SSF regulars who clear their schedules every year for the two-week event. 'It was not easy to bring audiences to a chamber music festival. Korean audiences tend to prefer big orchestras and grand productions. Director Kang Dong-suk still fights to attract the audience, discovering new pieces not only for the piano but for wind instrument as well," Guyot said during an interview last week. 'We know we will play new pieces togehter -- it has become a priority in our schedule,' he added. The clarinetist, who is principal clarinetist of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Geneva and an acclaimed soloist and educator, has returned to the festival for 12 times since the inauguration in 2006, the most frequently returning overseas musician for the SFF. Doise, principal oboist of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and a professor at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, also spoke about the unique energy he feels from Korean audiences. He has participated in the festival since 2015, missing only 2021 and 2022 when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted international travel. 'Chamber music festivals usually aren't this long,' Doise said. 'Here, for two weeks, we can work, practice and rehearse — it feels like our home. Everything is so well organized that we only have to think about the music we play.' For the past 15 years, the musicians have returned to the same hotel in central Seoul, where they stay, practice and rehearse -- a small but telling detail that reflects the festival's stable and well-established operation. For Joulain, returning to Korea each spring has become an annual tradition since 2014. One of France's leading horn players, having held principal positions with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and Orchestre National de France, Joulain said "Korea feels like home now." Flutist Gauci-Ancelin joined the festival for the first time this year, stepping in as a last-minute substitute just two weeks ago. Over six days, he faces a demanding schedule, performing eight different pieces. A frequent guest principal flutist with the Berlin Philharmonic, Gauci-Ancelin said, "Although it's my first time here, I know many of the musicians," adding, "I really appreciate the family-like atmosphere." France, one of the world's woodwind powerhouses, has a long tradition of nurturing wind musicians. In many parts of Europe, including northern France, coal miners once formed amateur brass and wind bands as a core part of their community life, Guyot explained, noting how these musical traditions helped embed a deep appreciation for wind instruments in the culture. 'So originally, wind instruments were popular instruments -- they were played for dancing, for parties, for funerals and even for military ceremonies," he said, explaining that today, woodwind instruments remain a popular choice in France, compared to the stronger preference for piano and string instruments often seen in Korea. Throughout the festival, the four musicians will perform in different ensembles alongside other instrumentalists, culminating in a joint appearance for the quintet of Bizet's 'Carmen' in the closing performance on Sunday. Launched in 2006 by renowned violinist Kang Dong-suk with support from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the SSF emerged in a musical landscape that lacked long-term, stable platforms for chamber music. gypark@
Korea Herald
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Seoul Spring Chamber Music Festival celebrates 20 years of resilience, growth
Led by renowned violinist Kang Dong-suk, festival's longevity underscores quiet power and appeal of chamber music This spring marks the 20th anniversary of the Seoul Spring Chamber Music Festival, known as the SSF, a milestone that reflects not only the event's resilience despite challenges but its quiet influence on Korea's chamber music scene. Founded in 2006 by renowned violinist Kang Dong-suk with support from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the SSF emerged in a musical landscape that lacked long-term, stable platforms for chamber music. Two decades later, it remains Korea's only enduring chamber music festival — an achievement Kang never takes lightly. Kang, whose original motivation was simply to share the joy of chamber music with others, has built a platform where seasoned musicians and emerging talents converge over two weeks each year. The festival has presented about 15 performances annually, often introducing lesser-known works alongside well-loved classics. Two artists who have been with the festival since its inception — violist Kim Sang-jin and pianist Kim Young-ho — joined Kang at a press conference in Seoul, Monday, where they attributed the festival's continuation and success to Kang. Kim Sang-jin emphasized the singular identity of the festival. 'What gives SSF its color is Kang himself. He's the heart of it,' he said. "Without Kang at its central figure, it would have been difficult to maintain for 20 years. Now there are many great young chamber ensenbles and even chamber ensenble boom," Kim Young-ho noted. Despite its success, the festival faces familiar challenges. Funding is confirmed just two months ahead of the opening each year, leaving little room for long-term planning. Private sponsorship has grown, but the overall budget has not increased compared to its early years. 'This remains our biggest challenge,' Kang admitted. Still, the festival continues to thrive on creativity and community. It is known for introducing lesser-known works alongside staples of the repertoire. Kang delights in the process of discovering new pieces — sometimes recommended by colleagues, sometimes unearthed from obscure recordings. 'People think unfamiliar music won't be enjoyable but that's not true,' he said. 'There are so many great works out there. Part of our role is to share them." Learning new music is not always easy. 'At first, it felt like a trouble having to learn a new piece,' Kim Young-ho said. 'But the more I play, the more meaning I find in it. That's the joy of it.' For Kim Sang-jin, one of his most memorable moments came about 15 years ago, when he joined a sextet that included a then-rising pianist named Cho Seong-jin. 'Looking at the photo now, they all look like babies,' he said. 'I was one of the younger musicians then and now I've become the senior. But that's the magic of chamber music — it brings generations together.' "In chamber music, you play with your teachers, your peers and younger musicians. You forget your age. It becomes about listening, creating harmony — and that resonates with audiences everywhere," the violist added. In the meantime, the mission remains the same: to share the joy of chamber music. 'For two weeks each year, we gather musicians we admire and make music together. That's the essence,' Kang said. Kim Sang-jin summed it up: 'Chamber music is a musician's favorite genre, even if opera is the audience's favorite. It reveals the inner voice of composers. People often say that the level of a country's classical music can be measured by its chamber music. I think we're finally getting there.' Under the theme "20 Candles," symbolizing two decades of devotion to chamber music, the festival will run from April 22 to May 4, featuring 14 performances by 69 artists at various venues, including the Seoul Arts Center, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts and the historic residence of former President Yun Po-sun.
Korea Herald
14-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Seoul Spring Chamber Music Festival celebrates 20 years of harmony, growth
Led by renowned violinist Kang Dong-suk, the festival's longevity underscores the quiet power and appeal of chamber music. This spring marks the 20th anniversary of the Seoul Spring Chamber Music Festival, known as SSF, a milestone that reflects not only the event's resilience despite challenges but its quiet influence on Korea's chamber music scene. Founded in 2006 by renowned violinist Kang Dong-suk with support from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, SSF emerged in a musical landscape that lacked long-term, stable platforms for chamber music. Two decades later, it remains Korea's only enduring chamber music festival — an achievement Kang never takes lightly. Kang, whose original motivation was simply to share the joy of chamber music with others, has built a platform where seasoned musicians and emerging talents converge over two weeks each year. The festival has presented about 15 performances annually, often introducing lesser-known works alongside well-loved classics. Two artists who have been with the festival since its inception — violist Kim Sang-jin and pianist Kim Young-ho — joined Kang at a press conference in Seoul, Monday, where they attributed the festival's continuation and success to Kang. Kim Sang-jin emphasized the singular identity of the festival. 'What gives SSF its color is Kang himself. He's the heart of it,' he said. "Without Kang at its central figure, it would have been difficult to maintain for 20 years. Now there are many great young chamber ensenbles and even chamber ensenble boom," Kim Young-ho noted. Despite its success, the festival faces familiar challenges. Funding is confirmed just two months ahead of the opening each year, leaving little room for long-term planning. Private sponsorship has grown, but the overall budget has not increased compared to its early years. 'This remains our biggest challenge,' Kang admitted. Still, the festival continues to thrive on creativity and community. It is known for introducing lesser-known works alongside staples of the repertoire. Kang delights in the process of discovering new pieces — sometimes recommended by colleagues, sometimes unearthed from obscure recordings. 'People think unfamiliar music won't be enjoyable but that's not true,' he said. 'There are so many great works out there. Part of our role is to share them." Learning new music is not always easy. 'At first, it felt like a trouble having to learn a new piece,' Kim Young-ho said. 'But the more I play, the more meaning I find in it. That's the joy of it.' For Kim Sang-jin, one of his most memorable moments came about 15 years ago, when he joined a sextet that included a then-rising pianist named Cho Seong-jin. 'Looking at the photo now, they all look like babies,' he said. 'I was one of the younger musicians then and now I've become the senior. But that's the magic of chamber music — it brings generations together.' "In chamber music, you play with your teachers, your peers and younger musicians. You forget your age. It becomes about listening, creating harmony — and that resonates with audiences everywhere," the violist added. In the meantime, the mission remains the same: to share the joy of chamber music. 'For two weeks each year, we gather musicians we admire and make music together. That's the essence,' Kang said. Kim Sang-jin summed it up: 'Chamber music is a musician's favorite genre, even if opera is the audience's favorite. It reveals the inner voice of composers. People often say that the level of a country's classical music can be measured by its chamber music. I think we're finally getting there.' Under the theme "20 Candles," symbolizing two decades of devotion to chamber music, the festival will run from April 22 to May 4, featuring 14 performances by 69 artists at various venues, including the Seoul Arts Center, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts and the historic residence of former President Yun Po-sun.
