New York Philharmonic delivers energetic Seoul concerts

For New York Philharmonic music director Alan Gilbert, silence in the audience is not always the same. “There is a difference between a silence that is focused and a silence that is merely dutiful,” Gilbert said in a press conference hours before a concert Thursday in Seoul. “With the Korean audience, I have always sensed an energetic concentration.” And that seemed to be the most accurate description of the mood last week inside the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall, where the American conductor l

Feb. 9, 2014

Grammy winner John Mayer to put on first concert in Korea

The internationally popular America pop/folk singer John Mayer will be making his way to Seoul on May 6 to put on his first concert performance in Korea since he made his musical debut more than 10 years ago. The upcoming concert event is the 14th installment of the Hyundai Card Culture Project series, which in the past brought acts such as The Killers, Keane, John Legend, Ke$ha, Jason Mraz, Kraftwerk, Mika and Damien Rice.After an appearance at the annual South by Southwest showcase in Austin,

Feb. 9, 2014

Beatlemania: A moment in time never to be repeated

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Musical moments that capture the attention of a national audience ― and beyond ― never seem to be in short supply. Last week, Bruno Mars set a ratings record with 115 million people watching his Super Bowl performance. A few months ago, the talk was about Beyonce’s surprise album. And there’s still discussion of That Miley Moment at the MTV Video Music Awards. But moments that spark a musical revolution? A dramatic altering of the pop culture landscape? A true moment for histo

Feb. 9, 2014

Mystery surrounds theft of Stradivarius violin

MILWAUKEE (AP) ― Violin virtuoso Frank Almond was walking to his car after an evening performance at the Wisconsin Lutheran College when someone jumped out of a van, shocked him with a stun gun and seized the rare and extremely valuable Stradivarius on loan to him. The robber got back into the waiting vehicle, which sped off. Almond, who had been knocked to the ground, wasn’t seriously hurt. But he was devastated by the loss of the violin, which was crafted in 1715 and has been appraised for ins

Feb. 6, 2014

Giacometti exhibit in Rome explores power of human body

ROME (AFP) ― Striking, skeletal forms of Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti are juxtaposed with corpulent neo-classical and baroque Italian masterpieces in a new exhibition in Rome exploring the evocative power of the human body. Forty Giacometti gems, including his famous spindly “Walking Man” in bronze, have been scattered around the permanent collection at the Villa Borghese Gallery in the Italian capital, dotted in among classics such as Bernini’s “David” or Canova’s “Pauline Borghese.” The c

Feb. 6, 2014

YB to debut in U.S., U.K. with ‘Cigarette Girl’

Korea’s chief rock band YB is set to debut in the United Kingdom and the United States with its signature single “Cigarette Girl,” according to the band’s management company on Tuesday.YB, which recently signed with the former manager of American hard rock legend Guns N’ Roses Doug Goldstein, will unveil the English version of “Cigarette Girl” on Feb. 18, marking the band’s first official international appearance under a foreign management agency.“Cigarette Girl” was originally sung by veteran K

Feb. 6, 2014

‘American Idol’ star Aiken launches Congress bid

WASHINGTON (AFP) ― “American Idol” runner-up Clay Aiken declared Wednesday he is running for Congress, putting his singing career on hold as he aims to unseat a Republican from her North Carolina district.Aiken said he would run as a Democrat against two-term congresswoman Renee Ellmers because he believes she is voting against her constituents’ interests in the House of Representatives.“This is what’s wrong with Washington,” Aiken said in a nearly five-minute video, where he highlighted his upb

Feb. 6, 2014

At 30, Lim seeks change, balance

Lim Dong-hyek was called a “prodigy pianist” in his teen years, an “idol star in classical music” and a “Chopin specialist” in his 20s. He wouldn’t have chosen any of these labels, if he’d had a choice. Now turning 30, Lim wants to show his true colors as a pianist, nothing more and nothing less. “People tend to think of me as a poser who boasts flamboyant techniques and transcription skills, but I am not,” he said in a telephone interview Tuesday from New York. “I like to play pieces that are e

Feb. 5, 2014

Pharrell to perform on Oscar’s telecast

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Pharrell Williams will perform at the Academy Awards. Oscar producers said Tuesday the producer-performer will sing his nominated song “Happy.” There was no word on whether his Grammy Award-stealing hat would make an appearance. Williams wrote “Happy” for “Despicable Me 2.” It’s nominated for original song along with U2’s “Ordinary Love” from “Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom,” “Let It Go” by Idina Menzel from “Frozen” and Karen O’s “The Moon Song” from “Her.” The 40-year-old Wil

Feb. 5, 2014

Kim Jang-hoon, Crayon Pop team up for Korea Firefighters Project

Ballad rock singer and big-time philanthropist Kim Jang-hoon, who has been dubbed the nation’s “Donation Angel,” has finally unveiled his latest charity project after more than a decade in the making. “Back in 2002 I had hurt my shoulder and while I was at the hospital getting treatment there was a man sitting next to me; the man was a firefighter,” said Kim at a press conference held at the Press Center in Seoul on Wednesday. “He told me that despite the difficult situations they face, they are

Feb. 5, 2014

SM group to release sophomore album ‘Breath’ next week

SM Entertainment’s ballad project group SM The Ballad will release its sophomore album “Breath” next week, the nation’s top entertainment agency said Tuesday.Prior to the album’s formal release next Thursday, three songs, including the title track, will be unveiled one by one, starting on Monday, the company said. “Breath” will feature the collaborative efforts of eight singers from SM boy and girl groups: Jonghyun from SHINee, Max Changmin from TVXQ, Krystal from f(x), Zhoumi from Super Junior-

Feb. 5, 2014

In NYC, Pussy Riot slams conditions in Russia

NEW YORK (AP) ― Americans who will be at the Winter Olympics should look beyond the facilities created for the games and take a hard look at the host country itself, two members of the Russian protest punk band Pussy Riot said Tuesday. Maria Alekhina and Nadezhda Tolokonnikova made their first public appearance in the United States, arriving to take part in Amnesty International’s “Bringing Human Rights Home” concert on Wednesday in Brooklyn, where they will be introduced by Madonna. The women w

Feb. 5, 2014

Scottish rockers Mogwai to light up Seoul this month

With nearly two decades in the rock music scene, the members of the Glasgow-based post-rock band Mogwai have made a return with their first album in three years and will be performing live in Seoul. The band recently released its eighth studio album, “Rave Tapes,” last month and in its first week, the 10-track album landed at No. 10 on the U.K. Album Charts and No. 2 on the Scottish Album Charts. To follow up their latest release, Mogwai has embarked on a worldwide tour that will bring them to K

Feb. 4, 2014

Old but fresh

A handful of early music specialists are coming here this spring, offering the Korean audience chances to explore the world of 17th- and 18th-century music. Setting the tone in this Baroque-music concert lineup is flutist Emmanuel Pahud and Berliner Barock Solisten, who will perform the works of Bach and Telemann, two of the most appreciated composers of the era, at Seoul Arts Center on Feb. 22.Pahud, who was named principal flutist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra at the age of 22 some 20 y

Feb. 3, 2014

Kim Hyung-jun plans anniversary concert

Kim Hyung-jun of the formerly popular five-member boy band SS501 will be holding a special solo concert this week in celebration of his third anniversary since he debuted as a solo artist with his EP album “My Girl” in 2011. SS501 debuted in 2005 and released their last group album in 2010. Although its members moved on to pursue individual careers before their agency contracts expired, the group still maintains that SS501 has not disbanded. According to a representative of Kim’s agency S-Plus E

Feb. 3, 2014

Superstar K4’s Yoo Seung-woo looks to make mature return

Young singer Yoo Seung-woo ― the “naturally gifted” musician who first garnered widespread attention on the singing audition program Superstar K4 as a 16-year-old high school student ― will return with his second EP album “Early 19.” Yoo’s upcoming album is scheduled to be released on Monday, with the singer looking to show listeners a new, more mature side as he enters adulthood, turning 19 this year. “This album will be drastically different from Yoo Seung-woo’s previous releases because it wi

Feb. 3, 2014

Sunmi to release debut EP this month

After making a successful solo debut with hit track “24 Hours,” former Wonder Girls member Sunmi will return to the music scene with her first EP album this month. Officials at JYP Entertainment have announced that Sunmi has already completed the first half of the album and is currently working on the second. The EP is expected to be released in the middle of February and will feature around five to six tracks, including the lead track produced by Park Jin-young. It was previously suggested that

Feb. 3, 2014