Two celebrated concert pianists are to take to the stage with a project orchestra consisting of young musicians, one with the baton in hand and the other playing the piano. 

Pianist Kim Sun-wook will lead the Solasian Youth Orchestra for the upcoming performances in Daegu on Aug. 12 and in Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, on Aug. 13.

The program includes Glinkas’ overture for the opera “Ruslan and Lyudmila,” Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466 and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67. Paris-based pianist Paik will perform the Mozart piano concerto.

The Solasian Youth Orchestra, run by the Daegu Concert House and the World Orchestra Series, aims to train young musicians between the ages of 16 and 28. Preparing for the performances, they are mentored for a week by current and former members of prestigious orchestras such as the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, KBS Symphony Orchestra, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra and more.

The project was previously led by Venezuelan-born Spanish conductor Jose Luis Gomez in 2018 and New Jersey Festival Orchestra music director David Wroe in 2019. For its third edition this year, some 60 members have been selected.

Kim made his debut as a conductor with the KBS Symphony Orchestra at the Lotte Concert Hall in January. The pianist made his name as the youngest winner of the Leeds International Piano Competition in 2006. He studied conducting, receiving a master of arts degree in conducting from the Royal Academy of Music in London in 2013.

Prior to the upcoming performances with the Solasian Youth Orchestra, Kim will also hoist the baton for the KBS Symphony Orchestra on July 29 and 30.