Music director Osmo Vanska shares plans for next year

After a yearlong postponement, the Isang Yun Competition 2021, organized by the Tongyeong International Music Foundation, is underway with the first round of competitions taking place Monday. The annual competition, held in remembrance of the renowned Korea-born composer I-sang Yun (1917-1995), takes place at the coastal city of Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, alternating among three disci...

Soprano will have new competition named after her, KAIST professorship

After two years of being limited to online concerts by the lingering pandemic, the World DJ Festival will return to the stage next year at the Jamsil Olympic Stadium in southern Seoul. This year’s World DJ Festival will be held for three consecutive days starting June 4, and is expected to accommodate tens of thousands of audiences which can occupy the size of the whole stadium, BEPCTangent Crea...

While the government on Monday unveiled a draft version of its road map for “living with COVID-19,” raising hopes of a gradual return to normal, the music industry is accusing it of bias against the sector and is calling for changes. Several music industry organizations -- the Korea Entertainment Producers’ Association, Korea Management Federation, Korean Singers Association, Recording Industry ...

Violinist Chung Nu-rie, 16, came in second place at the 56th International Violin Competition Premio Paganini. According to the Korea National University of Arts on Wednesday, Chung won second prize at the latest Paganini Competition held in Genoa, Italy. He also won two other special prizes, including one for the youngest finalist and one for the best performance of a contemporary piece in the ...

K-pop boy band BTS’ Jin and Taeyeon of Girls’ Generation are some of the well-known singers who will be featured in the soundtrack of “Jirisan,” tvN’s latest Saturday-Sunday drama series. The final star-studded lineup for the soundtrack announced by the drama production firms, Astory and Most Contents, also includes Yi Sung-yol, Kim Jong-wan of Nell, Gaho, Paul Kim, Jukjae, Kim Feel, Rothy and 0...

Pohang Cultural Foundation shares program for Music Festival Pohang 2021

Pianist Evgeny Kissin is to return to South Korea in November for a recital. On Wednesday, the Lotte Foundation for Arts announced that Kissin will perform at the Lotte Concert Hall in eastern Seoul on Nov. 22. The upcoming recital is part of the Russia-born pianist’s Asia tour, which also encompasses Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan. He will perform six recitals in Japan from Oct. 28 to Nov. 17 bef...

Korean pianist Lee Hyuk failed to win a trophy at the 18th Chopin International Piano Competition. Lee, 21, who was one of 12 finalists, did not make the list of awardees announced by the Polish Chopin Institute on Thursday. The competition, held every five years, was postponed from 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This year, more than 500 pianists signed up for the competition and some 87 co...

Beethoven specialist Buchbinder holds Beethoven sonata, Diabelli recitals in Korea

The 13th Seoul International Music Festival will be held from Oct. 23 to 30 with the theme “Amusement Park.” The festival will take place across Seoul, including the Seoul Arts Center and the Lotte Concert Hall. During the press conference held on Wednesday in Gangnam, SIMF artistic director Ryu Jae-joon explained that the theme of the festival was decided when the pandemic just broke out last ...

Korean pianist Lee Hyuk, 21, is among the12 finalists of the 18th Chopin International Piano Competition, taking place in Warsaw, Poland. The Chopin Competition, organized by the Polish Chopin Institute, had its first edition in 1927. Previous winners of the prestigious competition for musicians include big names in classical music, such as Martha Argerich and Krystian Zimerman. In 2015, pianist...

As South Korea prepares to “live with” COVID-19, the music industry is readying itself to bring back live in-person concerts. While large music festivals have been canceled or switched to online formats, some individual artists are already returning to physical stages. From Oct. 29-31, K-pop artist Kwon Jin-ah will hold a solo concert series titled “The Way for Us.” According to her agency Ant...

The 18th Jarasum Jazz Festival, the country’s biggest jazz festival, is scheduled to kick off its three-day schedule on Nov. 5 on Jara Island, Gyeonggi Province. The lineup includes alternative pop band Leenalchi, vocalist Sunwoojunga, jazz band Maeri Nam Band, singer Bada and guitarist Cho Eung-min. This year’s festival offers assigned seats for groups of up to three. In compliance with the s...