Sixth edition to feature 21 artists across seven performances, marking Korea-France ties
The Classical Bridge International Music Festival will return to Seoul in June, bringing together leading figures and rising talent in a program that spans generations and styles.
Now in its sixth edition, the festival — under the artistic direction of pianist Klara Min — will be held at major venues including Seoul Arts Center, Lotte Concert Hall and Goyang Aram Nuri. A total of 21 artists will participate across seven performances from June 4 to June 12.
Launched in 2018 in New York, the festival has since traveled to Bordeaux in 2022, Seoul in 2024 and Paris in 2025, positioning itself as a transnational platform that connects cities and musicians through a shared musical language.
At its core is a curatorial concept that places established masters alongside younger performers, creating a dialogue across generations. This year’s lineup includes pianist Mikhail Pletnev, violinist Augustin Dumay and cellist Mischa Maisky — whose careers span decades — alongside a younger cohort represented by Gautier Capucon, Daniel Lozakovich and Edgar Moreau.
Programming unfolds in a gradually expanding format, moving from solo recitals to chamber music and culminating in orchestral performances. A highlight of this year’s festival is the anticipated Korean debut of the Rachmaninoff International Orchestra, positioned as the climactic point of the series.
The festival starts with Mischa Maisky's recital. The celebrated cellist will perform a special Schubert Liederabend arranged for cello and piano, along with Brahms’s Piano Trio No. 1, joined by his family members, violinist Sascha Maisky and pianist Lily Maisky, on June 4 at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall.
The chamber music series offers a journey through different eras. Highlights include Chamber Concert I on June 5, featuring artistic director Min, Augustin Dumay and Edgar Moreau in a program culminating with Schumann’s Piano Quintet. Another key chamber performance is the all-Brahms concert on June 7, where Maisky, Dumay and Moreau return alongside violists Kim Sang-jin and Lyda Chen for the String Sextet No. 1.
The festival culminates in two orchestral performances led by the legendary Mikhail Pletnev, conducting the Rachmaninoff International Orchestra. The June 11 and 12 concerts feature different soloists: violinist Daniel Lozakovich joins for Schumann’s Violin Concerto on the first night, and the second night adds cellist Gautier Capuçon and pianist Helene Mercier for Beethoven’s Triple Concerto. Both orchestral nights feature Rachmaninoff’s tone poem The Rock and the Korean premiere of Pletnev's orchestral suite, Rachmaniniana.
The 2026 edition also celebrates the 140th anniversary of Korea-France relations, with support from the French Embassy in Korea.
Following its Seoul edition, the festival is set to continue its global circuit, with the next installment to take place in Cannes in 2027.
gypark@heraldcorp.com
