New Music Director Prioritizes Quality and Talent Development

Courtesy of SPO

Jaap van Zweden, the newly appointed music director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO), outlines the key themes for the upcoming inaugural season. The season will emphasize a full Mahler cycle, diverse collaborations, and nurturing new talent, particularly conductors.

Van Zweden aims to elevate the orchestra's quality, considering it the "best promotion for an orchestra." He expresses confidence in the SPO's potential to be among the great orchestras and emphasizes the importance of continuous efforts through preparation, discipline, and enjoyment. 

▲ Courtesy of SPO

The upcoming season features familiar pieces, including symphonies such as Mahler Symphony No. 1, Beethoven No. 5, Brahms No. 2, Mozart No. 40, Bruckner No. 7, Shostakovich No. 7, and Dvorak No. 7 and No. 8. Noteworthy piano concertos include Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5, "Emperor," Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1, and Mozart Piano Concerto No. 23 and No. 24. The orchestra will also showcase violin concertos by Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, Sibelius, and Bruch, along with cello concertos by Dvorak and Elgar.

Jaap van Zweden, who assumed his role in January, plans to commence the full cycle of Gustav Mahler's music, with the SPO presenting Symphony No. 1 in January 2024. Additionally, the orchestra aims to record the entire Mahler cycle, requiring the performance of at least two Mahler works annually during van Zweden's five-year tenure.

▲ Courtesy of SPOCollaboration and talent development are focal points for van Zweden. He stresses the importance of collaborating with other arts groups, including opera, ballet companies, and conservatories, and aims to foster talent among Korean musicians beyond the classical genre.

Starting in 2024, the SPO plans international tours to enhance its global reputation. Tours are scheduled for Asia in 2024, the US in 2025, and Europe in 2026. Out of the 16 programs planned, Jaap van Zweden will lead seven, with the remaining nine conducted by esteemed maestros such as Vasily Eduardovich Petrenko, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, and Kim Eun-sun.

The 2024 programming aims to be accessible to those unfamiliar with classical music, featuring renowned soloists like Christian Tetzlaff, Augustin Hadelich, Stephen Hough, Clara-Jumi Kang, and Son Yeol-eum.

Sayart

Blue YIM, yimyoungseo1010@naver.com