Kumho Cultural Foundation announces this year's 'rising stars'
The Kumho Cultural Foundation on Friday announced the five promising musicians selected for its Kumho Rising Star Series in 2025, which presents promising talents likely to lead Korea's classical music scene.
This year's edition will feature pianists Kim Song-hyeon and Sun Youl, violinists Park Sue-ye and Kim Seo-hyun, and recorder player Bang Ji-yeon. These rising stars will present their performance in the first quarter of the year at the Kumho Art Hall Yonsei, in Northwestern Seoul.
Pianist Kim Song-hyeon, runner-up at the 2023 Isang Yun International Music Competition, will open the series on Jan. 16. Under the theme "In a Landscape," Kim, currently studying at the New England Conservatory, will perform works by John Cage, Beethoven, Bartok, Chopin and Ravel.
On Jan. 23, pianist Sun Youl, recent winner of the Seoul International Music Competition, will take the stage. He will present works by Rameau, Poulenc, and Debussy, showcasing an authentic French musical style refined through his international experiences.
On Feb. 6, violinist Park Sue-ye, whose third album "Journey Through the Ages" was named Gramophone's Recording of the Month and Recording of the Year 2021, will make their Kumho Art Hall debut. With works by Beethoven, Brahms, Prokofiev and Ravel, she will demonstrate the violin's evolving expressiveness across different musical eras. Pianist Park Young-seong will accompany her on stage.
On Feb. 13, violinist Kim Seo-hyun, the youngest-ever winner of the 2023 Tibor Varga International Violin Competition, will present Brahms’ Violin Sonata No. 1, Faure’s “Violin Sonata,” Ysaye’s Solo Sonata No. 5 and Saint-Saens' “Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso.” She will perform alongside pianist Ilya Rashkovskiy.
On Mar. 13, Bang Ji-yeon, the winner of the 2023 SRP Moeck Solo Recorder Competition, will present a program bridging Baroque and contemporary music, showcasing the versatility of recorders of all sizes. This marks the first time the series introduces a record player. Accompanied by baroque cellist Kang Ji-yeon and harpsichordist Lee Eun-ji, her program includes Vivaldi’s “Recorder Concerto,” Dai Fujikura’s “Recorder Works” and Corelli, Blavet, Vitali’s “Adaptations for Recorder.”
The Kumho Rising Star series, launched in 2004, has introduced over 80 promising young artists who have since become pillars of Korea's classical music scene. Previous stars include violinists Lee Ji-hye, Lee Ji-yoon, Yang In-mo, pianists Kim Da-sol, Kim Sun-wook, Sunwoo Ye-kwon, flutist Cho Seon-ghyun, oboist Ham Kyung and baritone Kim Tae-han.
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