The Pyeongchang Music Festival, Korea's signature summer classical music festival, will open in July. Artists from Korea and abroad, including pianists Kim Dae-jin and Sunwoo Yekwon and violinist Kazuki Sawa, will take part in large numbers, performing a wide repertoire spanning from Baroque to contemporary music.
The Pyeongchang Music Festival Foundation announced Friday that the festival will run from July 23 to August 2 at the Alpensia resort area in Pyeongchang and across Gangwon State. Launched with the goal of becoming a classical festival on par with Switzerland's Verbier Festival and the Aspen Music Festival in the United States — both held in high-altitude resort areas — the festival marks its 23rd edition this year.
This year's theme is "Legacy and Innovation." Artistic Director Yang Sung-won said, "We seek to illuminate how musical heritage accumulated over a long period is carried forward into today's creative work, and to explore how art can resonate with the deepest part of the human inner self and become the language of our time."
The festival will feature a variety of programs including concerts and master classes. Nineteen concerts are scheduled, along with the "Outreach Concert" touring the Gangwon region and the "Family Outreach Concert" for family audiences. Also drawing attention are the Daegwallyeong Academy, which consists of a chamber music mentorship program and master classes, scholar lectures, a wine academy, and talk sessions with artists.
In particular, top artists from Korea and abroad will present repertoire ranging from Baroque to contemporary music, coloring midsummer Gangwon with classical melodies. The programs will include solo, ensemble, orchestra and opera formats, with some works being Korean premieres. Participants include pianists Kim Dae-jin, Sunwoo Yekwon and Charles Richard-Hamelin; conductors Hans Graf and Oscar Jockel; violinist Kazuki Sawa; cellists Tsuyoshi Tsutsumi and Maximilian Hornung; soprano Daniela Köhler; and baritone Kim Gi-hoon. The Pavel Haas Quartet, Alte Musik Seoul and the Gangneung City Symphony Orchestra will also take the stage. Next-generation performers including Lim Hyun-jae, Shin Kyung-sik, Lee Jae-ri and Sun-yul are also drawing anticipation.
The Pyeongchang Festival Orchestra's performances are also noteworthy. The orchestra will take charge of three concerts, including the opening and closing performances and the opera "Ariadne auf Naxos." This will be the orchestra's first official stage since being newly formed through an open member recruitment in March. After the festival closes, a nationwide tour will follow. Performances are scheduled for August 5 at Goyang Aram Nuri, August 7 at Pyeongtaek Arts Center and August 8 at Tongyeong Concert Hall, bringing the festival's programs to other regions.
Concert tickets will go on sale on May 7 at 2 p.m. through the festival's website and NOL Ticket. Prices range from 30,000 won to 100,000 won ($22 to $73), with various benefits including early-bird discounts, group purchase discounts, and discounts for local residents and students. Bundled offerings such as season passes and weekly packages are also available.
