Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra to Tour Europe: Performances in Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands
Both Concertgebouw Performances in Amsterdam Sold Out
Bomsori Kim and Matthias Goerne to Collaborate, Jaeil Jung's New Work to Premiere in Europe
The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra will embark on a European tour across three countries—Spain, Italy, and the Netherlands—for the first time in four years since 2022, accompanied by Music Director Jaap van Zweden.
The orchestra will perform on August 25 and 26 at the Kursaal Auditorium in San Sebastian, Spain; on August 28 at the Kurhaus Kursaal Hall in Merano, Italy; and on August 30 and 31 at the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
This marks the first European tour for the orchestra under the direction of Music Director van Zweden. The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra is set to showcase its artistry at some of Europe’s most prominent summer music festivals such as the Quincena Musical Festival in Spain, the Merano Music Festival in Italy, and Amsterdam’s Zomerconcerten in the Netherlands. Last year, the Seoul Philharmonic became the first Korean orchestra to be officially invited for a planned performance at New York’s Carnegie Hall, receiving a standing ovation from the audience.
Violinist Bomsori Kim and baritone Matthias Goerne will feature as guest soloists for this tour. Composer Jaeil Jung—best known for his music direction in the film “Parasite” and Netflix series “Squid Game”—will present his commissioned work “Inferno,” also making its European premiere during this tour.
The two Concertgebouw performances in Amsterdam, the hometown of van Zweden, are already sold out. In 2023, Music Director van Zweden received the Concertgebouw Prize, awarded to musicians who contribute significantly to artistic excellence. In May last year, he led the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Mahler Festival in the Concertgebouw, conducting Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 and No. 7.
Following this year’s European tour, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra is scheduled to perform at the opening concert of the 82nd Prague Spring International Music Festival in the Czech Republic next year.
Prior to the European tour, the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra will hold a “Europe Tour Preview Concert: Beethoven’s Choral Symphony” for domestic audiences at the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center on August 12. Renowned baritone Matthias Goerne, soprano Choi Ji-eun, mezzo-soprano Lee Akyoung, tenor Son Jihun, and the National Chorus of Korea will collaborate on Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, “Choral.”
Returning to the orchestra’s stage for the first time in nine years, Goerne will also perform John Adams’ “The Wound-Dresser.” Based on a poem by American poet Walt Whitman, the piece presents a message of human compassion and peace through the perspective of someone tending to wounded soldiers during war. Goerne is expected to bring the music’s humanity and lyricism to life with his distinctively deep and rich voice.
On August 16, the Seoul Philharmonic will perform Beethoven’s “Choral” at the Grand Theater of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. This concert is a Liberation Day commemorative event for citizens, conducted by van Zweden, and will deliver a message of peace, unity, and humanism with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 while honoring the noble spirit of national heroes and sharing in the joy of liberation with citizens.
On August 20 and 21, the orchestra will present Respighi’s “Pines of Rome,” one of the major repertoire pieces from the upcoming European tour, to Korean audiences at the Lotte Concert Hall before heading abroad.
Jeong Jaewal, CEO of Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, said, “We are very pleased to showcase the musical trust and the strength of ‘K-Classic’ that have been steadily built since Music Director van Zweden’s appointment, to audiences in Europe. We hope there will be great interest in the Seoul preview concerts, which will provide a taste of the excitement ahead of our European tour.”
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The tour is officially sponsored by Hana Financial Group, Vgreen Power Korea, Unison, and SeAH Woon Hyung Lee Foundation.
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