The Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra, led by conductor Sung Shi-yeon, is gearing up to embark on its first cross-country Germany tour.
The Suwon, Gyeonggi Province-based orchestra is slated to perform its first concert on June 9 at the Berliner Philharmonie concert hall ― home to the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra ― making it the first ever Korean musical ensemble to be invited to perform at the prestigious hall.
The orchestra will then hold performances in Wiesbaden and Saarbrucken on June 11 and 13, respectively.
Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra (Gyeonggi Arts Center)
During the tour, it will bring life to Henryk Wieniawski’s “Violin Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor,” Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 5 in E minor” and Heera Kim’s “Namok” ― which will be making its German premire this tour.
“This tour will be a bridge for cultural exchange between our two countries,” said a Gyeonggi Philharmonic representative in a statement. “The exchange between these world orchestras will allow the Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra to develop and grow.”
Conductor Sung, 39, is continuing to make waves in the classical music world, gaining recognition as a notable upcoming, young female conductor. Early last year she became the first female to lead a major orchestra in Korea, taking the podium as the Gyeonggi Philharmonic’s chief conductor.
By Julie Jackson (juliejackson@heraldcorp.com)
