Cho Seongjin: "Lotte Concert Hall Is a Space Where I Have Grown Together... Trust Creates Great Music"

10th Anniversary of Lotte Concert Hall: Cho Seong-jin Becomes the “Face” of the Venue
This Month, Artist-in-Residence to Present Chamber Music and Solo Recital

The opening of Lotte Concert Hall in 2016 marked a pivotal turning point for the Korean classical music scene. Coinciding with the rise of world-renowned pianist Cho Seong-jin, it is widely credited with expanding the base of the domestic classical performance market.

Lotte Concert Hall was the first large-scale classical music venue to open in Seoul in 28 years since the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall in 1988. In October 2015, less than a year before the hall’s opening, Cho Seong-jin became the first Korean to win the International Chopin Piano Competition, making his name known on the global stage. The near-simultaneous emergence of a leading performer and a world-class concert venue injected new vitality into Korea’s classical music market. In what seemed like a destined connection, Cho Seong-jin held his first solo recital in Korea after his Chopin Competition victory at Lotte Concert Hall in January 2017. All tickets for the concert sold out within 10 minutes of going on sale, setting a new box office record for classical performances.

In celebration of its 10th anniversary, Lotte Concert Hall has chosen Cho Seong-jin as its artist-in-residence, continuing this special connection.

In a written interview with The Asia Business Daily, Cho Seong-jin remarked, “Lotte Concert Hall is an indispensable venue when performing in Korea, and it holds many great personal memories for me. Since my first performance here in 2017, I feel as though I have grown together with this space, which allows me to take the stage with greater comfort.”

As artist-in-residence, Cho Seong-jin will appear on stage twice this month. On July 14, he will perform in a chamber music concert, and on July 19, he will present a solo recital. The chamber music performance will feature Daishin Kashimoto, concertmaster of the Berlin Philharmonic; Wenzel Fuchs, principal clarinetist of the Berlin Philharmonic; horn player Stefan Dohr; and violist Park Kyungmin, the first Korean to become a permanent member of the Berlin Philharmonic.

Introducing the musicians he will share the stage with, Cho Seong-jin said, “They are people with whom I have built deep trust, both musically and personally, through many years of collaboration.” He cited rapport and trust among performers as the most important elements in chamber music. “When choosing musicians to perform with, I value mutual chemistry and attitude toward music more than technical perfection. Such trust is essential for creating even richer music.”

Previously, Cho Seong-jin has also served as artist-in-residence for prestigious orchestras such as the Berlin Philharmonic and the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO). He explained that the role of an artist-in-residence is not simply about increasing the number of performances. “The most important aspect is jointly developing programs and repeatedly meeting with orchestra members to build trust. By listening to each other’s ideas and finding common ground, we can deliver the message we want to convey to the audience more fully.”

Although it has been more than ten years since his Chopin Competition victory in 2015, Cho Seong-jin said he still feels a strong thirst for new music. “There are still many wonderful works I have yet to perform. Just as people’s thoughts change over time, the same piece can evoke completely different emotions depending on the period. Experiencing such changes is itself a great joy as a performer.” Regarding his future goals, he emphasized a focus on music itself rather than making grand plans. “Rather than chasing a specific goal, my greatest aim is to share music that reflects my own changes and flow at each stage with the audience. Performers receive positive energy and new inspiration from the audience. Even though it’s a hot summer, I hope everyone will come and enjoy music together at the concert hall.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.