[Herald Review] With joy and happiness, Eric Nam reunites with Korean fans after 4 years

A stage decorated like a flamboyant broadway set that radiated blue lights with a live band session -- drums, bass and a guitar -- welcomed singer-songwriter Eric Nam’s fans in Seoul on Sunday. A series of pop tunes, including Harry Styles’ “Watermelon Sugar” and Taylor Swift’s “Anti-Hero,” came out from the speakers before the concert started, hyping up the first crowd here to meet the singer in concert in nearly four years. And as the clock struck 7:04

Nov. 21, 2022

Passing the baton: Workshops to help future conductors take the stage

David Reiland, the Artistic Director of the Korean National Symphony Orchestra, stands next to Ahn Yeo-ryeong, one of the four up-and-coming conductors selected for a workshop organized by the orchestra. Ahn conducts Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 in E minor in front of Reiland and a group of audience members who keenly observed the interaction between the two conductors as well as with the orchestra. Ahn shows conspicuous movements and expressions, to which the Luxembourgian conductor who has bee

Nov. 20, 2022

[Herald Interview] Sarah Brightman returns with Christmas concert after six years

Returning to Korea after about six years, Sarah Brightman, the most commercially successful soprano in the world, will take the stage with her greatest hits and personal holiday favorites to warm the hearts of Korean fans. The iconic soprano is set to perform at KBS Arena, located in Gangseo-gu, western Seoul, on Dec. 3, as part of her world tour of “A Christmas Symphony,” which she kicked off last year in the US. “I am very excited to be coming back to Korea with my ‘A C

Nov. 17, 2022

Korean pianist Lee Hyuk wins 1st prize at Long-Thibaud Competition

South Korean pianist Lee Hyuk became joint first prize winner of the 2022 Long Thibaud International Competition, along with Japanese pianist Kamei Masaya, according to its organizers Sunday. Lee is the second Korean pianist to win the prize, following Lim Dong-hyek, who won the prize in 2001. The third prize was given to American pianist Davidman Michael. The 22-year-old will receive 27,500 euros ($28,300) in prize money in addition to an opportunity to participate in about 20 concerts and mu

Nov. 14, 2022

BLACKPINK's 'Boombayah' video tops 1.5 bln YouTube views

The music video for K-pop girl group BLACKPINK's debut song "Boombayah" has surpassed 1.5 billion views on YouTube, the group's agency said Saturday. YG Entertainment said the video passed the milestone at about 3:50 a.m. the same day, six years after the K-pop quartet launched its debut EP album, "SQUARE ONE," in August 2016. Boombayah is one of the two songs on "SQUARE ONE," along with "Whistle." As of Saturday, three BLACKPINK videos have garn

Nov. 12, 2022

Russian pianist Elisso Virsaladze to perform Mozart and Chopin in Seoul

Elisso Virsaladze, an 80-year-old Russian pianist, is set to bring her favorite Mozart and Chopin pieces to Seoul later this month, according to Kumho Art Hall on Wednesday. On Nov. 24, she will perform Mozart’s Fantasia for Piano in C minor, K. 396, 9 Variations on “Lison dormait” for Piano in C Major, K. 264 and Rondo for Piano No. 3 in A minor, K.511 as well as Chopin’s Waltz for Piano in A minor, B. 150, Op.posth. After the intermission, she will return with Mozart&rs

Nov. 9, 2022

[Herald Review] Grammy-winning Jack White’s 1st concert in Korea, rock-fueled blast of music

While the sky in Korea was graced by a mesmerizing total lunar eclipse, the 12-time Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter and guitarist Jack White flooded a Seoul concert hall on Tuesday night with a light haze and shades of blue with rock ‘n’ roll energy. The concert, held at Yes24 Live Hall in eastern Seoul, was part of the American rock musician’s global "Supply Chain Issues Tour” and his first show in the country. Although the event was scheduled late on a weekd

Nov. 9, 2022

Pianist Sohn Min-soo to join New England Conservatory

Sohn Min-soo, a professor and pianist, will join his alma mater, the New England Conservatory, as part of its piano faculty starting in fall 2023, the Boston-based music school announced last week. That means he will leave his current post at Korea National University of Arts, known as K-Arts, where the 45-year-old has been teaching pupils since March 2015. One of his students, Lim Yun-chan, at K-Arts became the youngest winner in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition’s history i

Nov. 9, 2022

Disabled musicians in limelight at Soliall Philharmonic US concerts

Under the theme “Visual Music, Musical Art,” two concerts featuring an orchestra and disabled guest musicians, were held in the US last weekend. The Soliall Philharmonic Orchestra from Korea performed with eight guest musicians -- including pianist Son Eun-young, blind violinist Kim Ji-sun, blind clarinetist Lee Sang-jae and blind cellist Kim Min-joo -- first at the Davis Theater for the Performing Arts in Alabama on Saturday, and then at the Gas South Theater in Georgia on Sunday. S

Nov. 7, 2022

Violinist Edwin E.S. Kim pays tribute to Vienna in third solo album

Violinist Edwin E. S. Kim pays tribute to his second hometown Vienna, where the 45-year-old violinist spent almost half of his life, in his third solo album, “Mein Niener Herz.” The album, which translates to “My Vienna Heart,” includes 10 pieces by Fritz Kreisler, Ede Poldini, Franz Lehar and Franz Schubert, composers all associated with the Austrian capital. Kim arranged the track list, which starts with Kreisler’s Rondino on a theme by Beethoven and ends with Sch

Nov. 7, 2022

[Herald Interview] Reddy leaves bitter experiences behind for new beginning

Reddy knows the cheat code to be an august solo artist: being comfortable in his own skin. That’s when he finds himself cultivating creativity, and when his music is at its finest. Unlike the chic and mellow rap beats the artist is known for, Reddy is beguiling. Sitting in his studio in Mapo-gu, western Seoul, he exudes a distinct friendliness -- it’s his way of relaxing into his confidence. “I newly joined 131 (ONE THREE ONE), so I’m starting fresh after moving out of my

Nov. 7, 2022

16-year-old cellist Han Jae-min takes first prize from Isang Yun Competition

Han Jae-min, a 16-year-old cellist, took home first prize from the International Isang Yun Competition on Saturday at the Tongyeong Concert Hall, South Gyeongsang Province. Earlier last week, the four finalists, including three South Korean cellists -- Han Jae-min, Joeng Woo-chan, Kim Deok-yong -- and Florian Pons from France, were announced. The finalists were required to perform one concerto with the Tongyeong Festival Orchestra led by Venezuelan conductor Christian Vasquez. Han performed Is

Nov. 6, 2022

[Herald Interview] Hornist Klieser champions music, life without limits

German hornist Felix Klieser is returning to South Korea this month for the fourth time, for his first ever solo recital here. In 2015, he was in Seoul to perform in a series of concerts celebrating the opening of the Kumho Art Hall Yonsei. He attended the Jeju International Wind Ensemble Festival in 2018 and 2019. And now his upcoming concert on Nov. 9 at Seoul Arts Center will be his first solo recital in the country. Klieser is often described as a musician who has overcome disability. He was

Nov. 2, 2022

KOMCA ranks 9th in world in music royalty collections

The Korea Music Copyright Association, the biggest music copyright manager in the country, with some 46,000 songwriters and composers’ music works trusted to the association, said Wednesday that it ranked ninth in terms of music royalty collections among 142 societies in the same sector around the globe. Citing data from the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers, the France-based world’s largest network in the creative sectors with 228 member societies i

Nov. 2, 2022

[Herald Interview] Striking a chord: TRADE L on ‘Love Maze’

TRADE L’s voice destined him for center stage from a young age. Born Lee Seung-hoon, the 18-year-old realized his passion for music in grade nine. His blossoming talent caught the attention of Jay Park, who at the time helmed hip-hop label H1ghr Music, and who now remains an adviser for the company. The artist rose to prominence through the fourth season of TV rap competition "High School Rapper" last year, where he beat out 17,000 other contestants to take the crown. Little by l

Oct. 31, 2022

[Herald Interview] Yang In-mo’s journey to his own violin concerto

Yang In-mo, the winner of this year’s International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition, never thought he would be competing in a competition again. After all, he had already taken home the top prize from the prestigious Paganini Competition in 2015, at the age of 19, which was the first time the jury awarded that prize since 2006. Last December, the violinist decided to take part in the competition held in Helsinki in a desperate search for a change and a more active career and he surprise

Oct. 29, 2022

New Sejong Center will have classical music-only concert hall, Seoul Mayor Oh says

Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon unveiled a plan to remodel the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, turning the cultural complex into a global cultural icon like the Sydney Opera House or New York's Carnegie Hall. The mayor announced the plan, which includes a new concert hall dedicated to the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, during his visit to Philharmonie de Paris, a complex of concert halls in Paris that opened in 2015, Sunday. "Philharmonie de Paris, which has an exceptional exterior desi

Oct. 26, 2022

Roy Kim hopes listeners will revel in solace with his new album ‘,and’

In celebration of his 10th anniversary, singer-songwriter Roy Kim reveled in the autumn season with his fourth LP, “,and,” which was released on Tuesday evening. After a monthslong hiatus, the musician returned to the music charts for the first time in nearly three years since the release of his digital single “Linger On” in May 2020. It’s also the first time he has released an LP in seven years since the release of his third, “The Great Dipper,” in 2015

Oct. 26, 2022

Lim Yun-chan signs with IMG Artists for Europe, America management

South Korean piano sensation Lim Yun-chan has joined the roster of London-based global performing arts management agency IMG Artists as he expands his activities globally, his Korean management MOC production announced Wednesday. In June, Lim won the gold medal at the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, the youngest winner ever, and became an instant sensation with his performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3, which has been viewed 8.4 million times on YouTu

Oct. 26, 2022

Cheong Wa Dae to host classical concerts by top musicians

The former presidential office compound of Cheong Wa Dae will be turned into a classical music chamber in November, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Tuesday. Korea's four top classical artists will take turns performing in front of 100 people at the former state reception house Yeongbingwan. Kicking off the series, pianist Kim Sun-wook will perform Schubert’s Four Impromptus and Liszt’s Piano Sonata in B minor on Nov. 1. On Nov. 4, pianist Sunwoo Yewon and the

Oct. 25, 2022