Classical music has begun seeping into the household recently.
New platforms are connecting classical performers and listeners directly, allowing consumers to customize the music they listen to. Mini-concerts are now being held inside homes, returning classical music to its salon origins.
Last week, string trio Armonia Ensemble performed at a child’s birthday party at a kids’ bookstore in southwestern Seoul. Surrounded by toys and coloring books, the trio broke away from the conventional classical setting and delivered renditions of children’s songs on the strings.
The ensemble was booked via Home Concert, a new platform that will officially launch online and via mobile on Thursday at homeconcert.co.kr.
The Armonia Ensemble perform at a child’s birthday party on Nov. 15 at a kids’ book store in Seoul. (Home Concert)
“Classical music doesn’t have to be unapproachable,” said Son Chul, CEO of the VMC Asia, a contents consulting agency which launched Home Concert. The platform challenges the notion that classical music can only be enjoyed at fancy venues at a steep price, directly connecting musicians to listeners at affordable rates.
On Home Concert, the performers upload the theme, prices and other specifics of their own shows. The consumers browse and order the performance to their liking. The musicians then visit their homes and present a customized mini-concert for an intimate audience. Though musicians are free to call their own prices, Son recommends a range of 50,000 won to 60,000 won per performer.
“So the ideal cost for a duet would be from 100,000 won to 120,000 won,” he said. “And that price can be divided among the people who order the concert. Our aim is to offer classical music like a delivery service order -- at an affordable price, when the consumer wants it, and tailored to their needs.”
The platform is expected to provide a new source of employment for classical performers.
“Currently, it’s a limited market for classical music majors. Either you join an orchestra or become a music professor,” said violinist Kim Ki-ok of the Noori Ensemble, which has also been participating in Home Concert’s trial run. “It’s exciting that we get to continue playing, and also plan our own performances. It’s like being a musician and a start-up entrepreneur.”
Chamber music was originally meant for the salon of a private residence, Son says, only moving away from the home with the development of large concert halls after industrialization.
Surrounded by the audience, violinist Lee Kyung-sun performs at Seoul National University as part of the House Concert series in 2014. (The House Concert)
Consumers, like patrons, can select from a range of themes they need according to the occasion, such as for weddings or seasonal celebrations.
Others have also been tearing away at the high barriers to classical music for the past few years. Pianist and composer Park Chang-soo has been hosting the House Concert series at his residence in Yeonhui-dong, Seoul, since 2002.
“I wanted to change the idea that good concerts and high culture can only be witnessed at large venues. I wanted to make a stage where performers and listeners can breathe the same air,” he said.
The concert series, now being held at a handful of other small venues around Seoul including a photo studio in Gangnam-gu, met its 500th show in September. The schedule for upcoming shows is available at thehouseconcert.com.
By Rumy Doo (doo@heraldcorp.com)
