The Tongyeong International Music Festival, an annual classical music gala, will take place March 25 to April 3, under the theme of “Vision in Diversity.” Marking its 20th anniversary, the annual music festival aims to contemplate diversity.

The festival held in the southern coastal city of Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, will be directed by composer Chin Un-suk and feature classical to contemporary music.

For the opening concert, Finnish conductor Dalia Stasevska will lead the Tongyeong Festival Orchestra in performance with Norwegian cellist Truls Mork. They will play Czech composer Antonin Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B minor Op. 104 and Russian-born composer Igor Stravinsky’s “The Firebird.” Andrew Norman’s “Play: Level 1” will have its Asian premiere.

At the “Harry Partch: Plectra and Percussion Dances” performances on March 25-27, Partch Ensemble will make its Asian premiere, performing American composer Partch’s “Daphne of the Dunes” and “Plectra and Percussion Dances.”

For the closing concert on April 3, the Tongyeong Festival Orchestra will perform Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 in E major and premiere Norman’s “Unstuck” for the first time in Asia. Hungarian pianist Dezso Ranki is also set to perform together for Franz Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 2. The performances will be conducted by German conductor Markus Stenz.

Two days before the closing, Norman’s “Spiral,” Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski’s “Concerto for Orchestra” and Joseph Haydn’s “Missa in Angustiis” will be performed in collaboration with soprano Park Hye-sang, mezzo-soprano An Tea-a, tenor Park Seung-joo and bass Youn Kwang-chul.

Other performers at this year’s TIMF include Czech mezzo soprano Magdalena Kozena, Russian soprano Julia Lezhneva, Germany’s oldest Cologne Chamber Orchestra, 2021 Ferruccio International Piano Competition winner Park Jae-hong, the King’s Singers, Rascher Saxophone Quartet, Gyeonggi Sinawi Orchestra, Korean Chamber Orchestra, KBS Symphony Orchestra and more.

Polish movie director and video artist Zbigniew Rybczynski’s “The Orchestra” will also be played at the outside venue during the festival. Tickets will be available following the government’s COVID-19-related prevention measures, according to Tongyeong International Music Foundation, the organizer of the annual event.