Professional cellist and violinist siblings set to make April duo debut in Seoul What are the odds of three siblings all becoming professional musicians? The Choi sisters — Ha-im, Ha-young and Song-ha, born two years apart — not only pursued careers as professional musicians but also achieved international recognition. Among the three sisters, the two younger ones — Ha-young, 27, and Song-ha, 25 — will perform as a duo in South Korea for the first time in April. Ha-young, this year's Lotte Conce

Interview: Soprano Seo Sung-young, bass Park Jong-min and tenor Son Ji-hoon to perform Korea's second-ever production of Dvorak’s 1901 opera Antonin Dvorak’s ninth opera, "Rusalka" (1901), is his most successful and most frequently performed opera around the world. Yet, an upcoming production in Seoul will be only the second time it has been staged in South Korea, almost 10 years after its local premiere in 2016. For this one-time performance Thursday at the Seoul Arts Center, three first-prize

78-year-old musician to perform Mozart in 22 Asian cities through November Pianist Paik Kun-woo has embarked on a nationwide tour to mark the completion of his Mozart Piano Works trilogy. “Kun-Woo Paik: Mozart Piano Works 3” was released by Universal Music Wednesday. This album follows the first and second volumes, which were released in May and November 2024, respectively, completing the pianist’s long-awaited Mozart recording project. For the third album, Paik curated a repertoire centered aro

A special concert took place Feb. 28 at Lotte Concert Hall with not one, but three conductors leading the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. On the podium were Park Keun-tae, Song Min-gyu and Harris Han Andersen, the three conductors selected by orchestra members from the eight participants of the inaugural SPO Conducting Fellowship, which also included Kim Ri-ra, Kim Jun-young, Kim Hyo-eun, Shin Ju-ya and Choi Jae-hyuck. The eight conductors participating in the five-day fellowship program were chos

With top-notch vocal skills, Taeyeon successfully kicks off Asia tour 'The Tense' Taeyeon, one of the most beloved vocalists in the K-pop scene today, mesmerized fans with her wide musical spectrum and stunning vocals. Her Asia tour, “The Tense,” was held for three days, Friday to Sunday, at KSPO Dome. This marks her first solo concert in about a year and seven months since “The Odd of Love” and also serves as the start of a tour celebrating the 10th anniversary of her solo debut. Amid a cascade

South Korean director Jung Young-doo has been nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award, Britain's highest honor in theater, for his direction of the changgeuk production "Lear." Jung was nominated in the outstanding achievement in opera category for his work on the National Changgeuk Company of Korea’s adaptation of William Shakespeare’s superlative "The Tragedy of King Lear" (1606). The adaptation was staged at London’s Barbican Theatre from Oct. 3 to 6, 2024. Changgeuk is akin to a genre of Kore

From Xikers to Hearts2Hearts, several K-pop acts join lineup Several K-pop artists are set to take the stage at the Wango Tango music festival in California in May. On May 10, 102.7 KIIS FM's Wango Tango will be held at Huntington City Beach, California. Hosted by iHeartRadio, the largest radio network in the US, Wango Tango began in 1998 and has since featured world-renowned musicians, delivering spectacular performances that have captivated fans of popular music. This year's event marks the fi

Gong makes stage debut as the town's beauty in 'Secret of Flowers' Actress Gong Seung-yeon shared her thoughts on making her stage debut in the play "The Secret of Flowers" during a recent interview with reporters. "It feels surreal to finally be on a stage I’ve long dreamed of performing on," she said. "I’ve always admired the theater because it’s a genre I never imagined myself doing. Actors on stage always seemed to shine." Gong, 32, who began her acting career in 2012, has starred in series

58-year-old singer to captivate audience with high-quality sound system Singer Lee Seung-chul returns with his nationwide “Orchest’rock 2” tour. Lee, 58, will be kicking off the tour at Sejong Art Center in Sejong City, Saturday. The tour will stop at 13 cities across the country, including Yeosu, Busan and Icheon, through June. This concert will feature the "flying sound system," a signature element of Lee's shows, designed to provide an immersive sound experience. The system strategically plac

83-year-old singer to pay tribute to 'traditional Korean pop' in two-day concert Veteran singer Lee Mi-ja, a defining figure in 1960s South Korean pop music, is set to hold a special concert celebrating her musical journey. At a press conference Wednesday at Stanford Hotel in Mapo-gu, Seoul, Lee, 83, announced her final concert "Lee Mi-ja Traditional Song Tribute Concert ‘Maek.’” The concert will take place April 26-27 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in central Seoul. "I've been sin

National Changgeuk Company's ‘Boheoja -- The One Who Paces the Void’ walks the path of consolation The story of King Sejo (1417-1468), the 7th king of Joseon, is one of blood, ambition and political intrigue. Ruthless power struggles and their far-reaching consequences inspired many adaptations, including the series “The Princess’ Man” (2011) and the film “The Face Reader” (2013), in which “Squid Game” star Lee Jung-jae portrayed Grand Prince Suyang before his ascent to the throne. Born the seco

Violinist Lim Dongmin and pianist Choi Hyunglok explore Janacek, Poulenc, Bartok and Saariaho in duo recital Tuesday evening Violinist Lim Dongmin, described by pianist Choi Hyunlok as precise and sharp, exuding an air of cool intensity, contrasts with Choi’s own playing, which exudes warmth and fluidity. The duo, however, has found their contrasting styles create a synergy since first meeting each other last September through the KBS Young Musicians album project. “At first, I was concerned abo

Court Music Orchestra uses AI to restore court music's lost lyrics A traditional music performance will recreate the pomp and circumstance of the processions of Joseon-era kings as they departed from and returned to their palaces. The National Gugak Center’s Court Music Orchestra is set to stage a performance centered on haengak, or the music traditionally played during royal processions, as well as for governors and foreign envoys during the Joseon era (1392-1910). Titled “Haengak and Boheoja:

Following the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s announcement of its plan to establish an integrated secretariat to manage five national arts organizations, opposition is growing among cultural civil organizations and national arts institutions. On Friday, Cultural Action, a civic organization dedicated to culture, called for an immediate withdrawal of the plan, stating that it is being unilaterally pushed forward without discussions or public discourse within the arts community, raising

There's a good chance they'll bring you to tears Don't wait for spring to bring warmth. In the lingering chill, let these three musicals warm your heart instead. These productions may be recent, but they have made their mark. "A Thousand Blues" and "The Longest Nights" are making a swift return after their successful debuts last year. Meanwhile, "Chunja in Wonderland" made its debut this month but decided to extend its run for two more months. 'A Thousand Blues' In this musical by Seoul Performi