December 30, 2024
SEOUL – Korea will be hosting an impressive lineup of world-renowned orchestras next year, including the Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic and Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Acclaimed maestros Klaus Makela, Gustavo Dudamel and Chung Myung-whun will take the podium with orchestras they share deep artistic ties with, delivering performances brimming with intensity and brilliance. Audiences can also look forward to recitals by celebrated soloists such as pianists Yefim Bronfman and Andras Schiff, as well as violinist Janine Jansen.
November peak
The orchestral season will peak in November, with several top-tier ensembles performing back-to-back. The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, under the baton of Klaus Makela, will open the month with concerts from Nov. 5 to 9. Makela, who will officially assume the role of the orchestra’s principal conductor in 2027, will share the stage with pianist Kirill Gerstein and violinist Daniel Lozakovich.
That same week, from Nov. 7 to 9, the Berlin Philharmonic will return to Korea under the leadership of Kirill Petrenko, joined by Korean pianist Kim Sun-wook as a soloist.
The Vienna Philharmonic will follow from Nov. 18 to 20, continuing their tradition of annual visits to Seoul for the fifth consecutive year.
Highlights beyond November
Beyond November, the concert calendar remains vibrant. On June 14 and 15, Makela will also lead the Paris Orchestra at Lotte Concert Hall, with young pianist Lim Yunchan as the soloist. Lim will later join the Santa Cecilia Orchestra in December, performing under conductor Daniel Harding. Meanwhile, the New York Philharmonic will make a rare appearance in June, marking their first performance in Korea in 11 years.
On Sept. 16 and 17, the La Scala Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Chung Myung-whun, will take the stage, featuring Russian pianist Nikolai Lugansky.
The year will also welcome performances by other prestigious ensembles, including the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra in May, Bamberg Symphony in June, Swiss Romande Orchestra in July, and the London Philharmonic and NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra in October.
Smaller yet equally celebrated chamber orchestras will add to the musical richness of the year.
Capella Andrea Barca, founded by Hungarian pianist Andras Schiff, will perform in March, while Camerata Salzburg, featuring the celebrated violinist Janine Jansen, will visit in November.
Anticipated recitals
A series of recitals by world-renowned musicians are also scheduled throughout 2025. A particularly striking highlight is the arrival of famous Russian pianists in Korea. Mikhail Pletnev, a piano virtuoso often referred to as a “genius with devilish talent,” will visit Korea in June. Pletnev rose to fame after winning the 1978 Tchaikovsky Competition and has since captivated the global stage as both a pianist and conductor.
Dmitry Masleev, who unanimously won the 2015 Tchaikovsky Competition, will also perform in June. In September, Yulianna Avdeeva, who in 2010 was the first female pianist to win the Chopin Competition in 45 years since Martha Argerich, will hold her recital.
Yefim Bronfman, renowned for his “fiery performances,” will meet Korean audiences in September. Since his international debut in 1975 with the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Zubin Mehta, Bronfman has received prestigious accolades, including the Avery Fisher Prize and a Grammy Award. This recital also marks the 50th anniversary of his debut.
Kirill Gerstein, known as “the busiest pianist in the world,” will hold his recital in December. In 2023, the renowned British classical music site Bachtrack named him the pianist with the busiest concert schedule in the classical music world.
Masters of string instruments are also set to visit. German violinist Christian Tetzlaff, often referred to as a “theorist of strings,” will perform in May. Japanese violinist Midori Goto, who has won accolades such as the Avery Fisher Prize and a Grammy Award, will hold her recital in November. Israeli cello maestro Mischa Maisky will perform in June, while young cellist Daniel Muller-Schott will present his performance in October.