Future that Beethoven dreamed of

Ensemble Blank (Estro)

In celebration of the 250th anniversary of maestro Beethoven’s birth, a contemporary music recital will be held at Kumho Art Hall on Thursday, featuring up-and-coming composer-conductor Choi Jae-hyuck and his chamber music ensemble.

Since 2017 -- the 190th anniversary of Beethoven’s death -- the art hall, under the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation, has featured a series of 25 programs in homage to the maestro, ranging from piano and violin solo performances to chamber music recitals.

Choi, the winner of the 72nd Concours de Geneve Composition Prize, and his Ensemble Blank will kick off this year’s celebrations with a program inspired by the future that Beethoven dreamt of.

While there are many performances featuring Beethoven’s legendary works this year, the upcoming recital will focus on how the composer’s works and philosophy have affected the classical music scene.

The program includes Anton Webern’s 6 Bagatelles for String Quartet, Op. 9; Beat Furrer’s Spur for Piano and String Quartet; Choi Jae-hyuck’s “Self in Mind IV” for Solo Percussion; and Helmut Lachenmann’s Pression for Solo Cello.

Choi is the artistic director of Ensemble Blank consisting of Juilliard School graduates. Founded in 2014, the ensemble travels across conventional concert halls and innovative art establishments, presenting diverse contemporary music.

Apart from Thursday’s recital, Kumho Art Hall will hold eight more programs followed by a three-day run of concerts titled “Happy Birthday Ludwig” featuring music by Beethoven’s contemporaries from Oct. 13-15.

All tickets are priced at 40,000 won. For more information, visit Kumho Art Hall’s website at www.kumhoarthall.com/eng.

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