Star Soloists Coming to Town

The local classical music scene will catch spring fever next month. In this high tide of concerts, however, there are several not to be missed featuring honored soloists such as pianists Martha Argerich and Emanuel Ax, and their protégé, Lim Dong-hyek, and cellist Jian Wang.

Emanuel Ax (Courtesy of Sejong Center)

While many fans were disappointed by the cancellation of tours by foreign troupes such as the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and the Cincinnati, the Staatskapelle Dresden’s Strauss-themed Seoul concerts remain intact.

On May 9 and 10 at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, in downtown Seoul, Grammy Award-winning pianist Emanuel Ax will join the 461-year-old orchestra for Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op.37, and Strauss’ ``Burleske’’ in D Minor for Piano and Orchestra.

Founded in 1548, the German troupe is the oldest in the world and has premiered works by great masters such as Vivaldi, Schumann, Wagner and Liszt, among others. Feted conductor Fabio Luisi will lead the group. Tickets cost from 50,000 to 250,000 won. Call (02) 399-1114~6.

Jian Wang
(Courtesy of Deutsche Grammophon)

Cellist Jian Wang is a leading artist, arising from post-Cultural Revolution China a generation before young stars like Yundi Li and Lang Lang.

Wang rose to worldwide fame at the age of 10 when he appeared in violinist Isaac Stern’s documentary ``From Mao to Mozart: Isaac Stern in China,’’ and has since appeared on the world stage alongside artists of renown such as Seiji Ozawa.

The cellist will appear May 14 at Seoul Arts Center for the second of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s ``Virtuoso’’ series. The Deutsche Grammophon-recording artist will play Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B Minor, Op. 104. Conductor Scott Yoo, the music director of the Festival Mozaic in San Luis Obispo, Calif., will lead Korea’s leading ensemble for Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 13, ``Winter Daydreams.’’ Tickets cost from 10,000 to 50,000 won. Call (02) 580-1300.

Martha Argerich
(Courtesy of Deutsche Grammophon)

Martha Argerich, considered a living legend of classical music, will host part of her Beppu, Japan, music festival here May 24 at Seoul Arts Center.

Joining the music director are pianist Lim Dong-hyek, a protégé of Argerich, now studying under Emanuel Ax in New York, and conductor Sung Shi-yeon, the assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Both were Korea Times 2008 Next Generation Artists. Another up-and-coming artist to take the stage is trumpeter Sergei Nakariakov.

Ensemble TIMF, of the Tongyeong International Music Festival, will accompany the artists. Lim will play Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G Major, while Argerich and Nakariakov will perform Schumann’s ``Fantasiestucke,’’ Op. 73, and Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1 for Piano, Trumpet and Strings in C Minor, Op. 35, together. Tickets cost from 50,000 to 200,000 won. Call 1577-5266.