As Denmark and South Korea celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the Royal Danish Orchestra is getting ready to play to a Korean audience for the first time at a concert featuring Danish conductor Thomas Sondergard and Korean pianist Sunwoo Yekwon.
 

At the event, slated for Dec. 8 at the Seoul Arts Center, the orchestra will perform the preludes to Danish composer Carl Nielsen’s opera “Maskarade”; Sergei Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18; and Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at Exhibition.” Sunwoo will play the piano for the Rachmaninoff piece.

Founded in 1448 as the Trumpet Corps for the royal court, the Royal Danish Orchestra is one of the oldest orchestras in the world. Based at the Royal Danish Theatre, it also performs for opera and ballet productions.

Sondergard, who started his music career there as a timpanist, is currently the music director of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra.
 

Sunwoo, the gold medalist at the 15th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, is one of the most celebrated classical musicians in Korea and has performed around the world.

By Im Eun-byel (silverstar@heraldcorp.com)