Bask in the Romantic flavours of Borodin’s folk-inspired Second Symphony, Stravinsky’s sublime neo-Classical homage to Tchaikovsky, and dazzling, deeply-felt Chopin. Programme Igor Stravinsky: Divertimento from ‘The Fairy’s Kiss’ (rev 1949) Frédéric Chopin: Piano Concerto No 2 Alexander Borodin: Symphony No 2 Performers London Symphony Orchestra Gianandrea Noseda: conductor Seong-Jin Cho: piano Inspired by a number … [Read More]
Category: Western classical music
Selected publications
- Min Kym: Gone: A Girl, a Violin, a Life Unstrung, Viking 2017
- Nicholas Harkness: Songs of Seoul: An Ethnography of Voice and Voicing in Christian South Korea, University of California Press 2013
- Kim Choon-mee: Harmonia Koreana: A Short History of 20th century Korean Music, Hollym 2011
KCC New Talents – Hwanhee Kim (piano)
Successfully selected from the KCCUK’s New Talents Open Call, the Korean Cultural Centre UK is proud to present pianist Hwanhee Kim this Autumn. This performance will focus on Kuk-jin Kim (1930-2020) whose work represents a groundbreaking and deeply personal synthesis of Gugak (Traditional Korean Music) with Western classical forms. Programme J.S. Bach (arr. F. Busoni) … [Read More]
Shostakovich & Stravinsky at the Barbican, with Clara-Jumi Kang
Stravinsky and Gubaidulina breathe vivid, visceral life into Russian fairy tales, plus Shostakovich’s most beautiful and riveting concerto. In her 1971 Märchen – Poem, Sofia Gubaidulina uses music of transcendent beauty to conjure a stick of chalk that dreams of life outside the classroom drawing beautiful landscapes. Stravinsky’s 1910 ballet paints an equally fantastical world … [Read More]
Lunchtime Recital – Seoyun Baek (piano)
Programme: Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827): Piano Sonata No. 31 in A-flat major, Op. 110 (1821) Moderato cantabile molto espressivo | Allegro molto | Adagio ma non troppo – Fuga: Allegro ma non troppo Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943) – Moments Musicaux, Op. 16 (1896): No. 1 Andantino No. 5 Adagio sostenuto No. 6 Maestoso Korean-American pianist Seoyun … [Read More]
Interplay – A Dialogue in Strings
For the September performance of New Talents, the KCCUK is delighted to introduce Esther Park (Violin) and Wallis Power (Cello), in collaboration with the Royal College of Music. Don’t miss this chance to enjoy ‘Interplay – A Dialogue in Strings’! Programme Part 1: Solo Voice and Cultural Resonance J. S. Bach – Violin Partita No.3 in E major I. Preludio II. … [Read More]
CineDuo play Epic Film & TV Soundtracks
CineDuo was born from the friendship between South Korean violinist Yoonseo Oh and South Korean-British pianist Nurry Lee, united by a deep passion for epic film and TV music. Together, they reimagine this beloved repertoire for violin and piano with virtuosic flair – creating an unforgettable atmosphere and experience for their audiences. Their performances feature … [Read More]
Inmo Yang (violin): Prom debut
An all-French programme whose first half celebrates the bright, exotic colours conjured by Bizet, who died 150 years ago. As well as a suite from his incidental music for ‘The Girl from Arles’, we hear the fantasy for violin and orchestra featuring music – including the famous ‘Habanera’ – from his best-loved opera, reimagined with explosive virtuosity … [Read More]
Prokofiev & Beethoven at the Barbican, with Seong-Jin Cho
Beethoven’s defiant Symphony No 5 meets the sneering mockery of Shostakovich and Prokofiev in exhilarating mood. In 1945, Soviet authorities expected Shostakovich to use his Ninth Symphony to celebrate Soviet military might. What they got was a subversive, mischievous work that thumbed its nose at Stalin. Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No 2 is one of the … [Read More]
Seoul Arts Centre on Screen: Shim Chung
Back by popular demand, Shim Chung returns to the Korean Cultural Centre UK as part of the SAC on Screen series. This beloved ballet, performed by the Universal Ballet Company, retells the timeless Korean folktale of a devoted daughter who sacrifices herself to restore her blind father’s sight — and is miraculously reborn in a … [Read More]
K-music 2025: Seong-Jin Cho – Artist Portrait. Part of LSO Futures
World premiere of a new piano concerto by Dong-hoon Shin, written for Seong-Jin Cho Following his sold-out Barbican recital in 2023, piano superstar Seong-Jin Cho returns to the Barbican for the world premiere of a piano concerto commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) from Dong-hoon Shin—one of Korea’s most prominent contemporary composers—written especially for … [Read More]
June New Talents: Kiyoka Hyun Duo
For the June performance of 2025 New Talents, we are delighted to introduce Kiyoka Hyun Duo, composed of Kiyoka Ohara (Flute) and Hyunjeong Hwang (Piano). Don’t miss this chance to enjoy Kiyoka Hyun Duo’s amazing musical adventure this June! Programme J.S. Bach Flute Sonata in E-flat major BWV821 I. Allegro moderato II. Siciliano III. Allegro G. … [Read More]
Yunchan Lim Plays Rachmaninov at the Proms
After a ‘dazzling’ Proms debut last year, pianist and global phenomenon Yunchan Lim returns, joining Kazuki Yamada and the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra for Rachmaninov’s final piano concerto. Rich in scope and ambition, tinged with the jazz rhythms and harmonies of the composer’s new homeland, it’s a technical tour de force. Musical visions from … [Read More]
May new talents recital at the KCC: Uriah Piano Trio
For the May performance of New Talents, KCCUK are delighted to introduce Uriah Piano Trio, featuring Michelle Choi (Flute), Helen Meng (Piano) and Joseph Reynolds (Cello), in collaboration with the Royal Academy of Music. Programme C. Debussy Piano Trio in G major I. Andantino con moto allegro II. Scherzo · Intermezzo. Moderato con allegro III. … [Read More]
Korean performers at the 2025 Edinburgh Festival and Fringe
The Edinburgh International Festival has announced its programme for 2025, and the Fringe website is up and running with their acts. Below are the performers with Korean connections that we’ve managed to identify so far. We’ll update this post if we discover more productions – it’s likely that this is not a complete list. 1. … [Read More]
New talents recital at the KCC: Neul Duo
For the first performance of 2025 New Talents, KCCUK will be hosting Neul Duo, composed of June Lee (Violin) and Seungyeon Lee (Guitar). Don’t miss the chance to enjoy Neul Duo’s amazing performance this April! About Neul Duo June (Violin) and Seungyeon (Guitar) have been performing together since 2022 and were recently awarded an Artist … [Read More]
Barbican 25/26 classical season to include Seong-Jin Cho artist portrait, plus Yeol Eum Son and Clara-Jumi Kang
For those keen to lock down their diary commitments well in advance, the Barbican has just announced its September 2025 – July 2026 classical music season. For Seong-jin Cho fans, you have four opportunities to see him – including two performances of Chopin’s 2nd piano concerto – in what is billed as an Artist Portrait. … [Read More]