Concert halls select their resident artists for 2024

Music & Performance

Published: 22 Jan. 2024, 14:19

Concert halls select their resident artists for 2024

Pianist Kim Jun-hyung is Kumho Art Hall's residential artist this year. [KUMHO ART HALL]

When a young classical musician meets a residency program, it becomes the perfect opportunity for them to spread their wings and churn out creativity to its fullest. Such programs have a history that goes back to at least 16th century Europe, with cultural foundations supporting artists to allow them to experiment with and produce new works.

In Korea, the Kumho Cultural Foundation was the first to introduce this system in 2013 with pianist Kim Da-sol, and it has expanded since then.

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Numerous large local concert halls have recently announced their picks for their artist-in-residence programs for 2024, so classical music aficionados can expect to see some more budding artists curate their distinctive artistic practices.

Pianist Kim Jun-hyung, 26, was named Kumho Art Hall’s residential artist this year back in November. Kim began his collaboration with Kumho with a solo recital earlier this month and will hold three more performances this year: a duet with Japanese pianist Yukine Kuroki in May, a trio with flutist Kim Yu-been and cellist Mun Tae-guk in August, and finally, a solo in November.

Kim is the runner-up for the German 2022 ARD International Music Competition in the piano category.

Violinist Kim Dong-hyun is Mapo Art Center's residential artist this year. [MAPO ART CENTER]

Mapo Art Center selected violinist Kim Dong-hyun, 25, as the second artist for its residency program, which started last year. He will be on stage in July, September, October and December, performing solo recitals, outdoor concerts, and, of course, collaborations.

Kim won third place in the Russian International Tchaikovsky Competition’s violin category in 2019.

Marimba player Hahn Moon-kyung, or June Hahn, is the artist-in-residence for the House Concert this year. [HAHN MOON-KYUNG]

Surprisingly, the House Concert, a nonprofit cultural organization, chose 38-year-old Hahn Moon-kyung, or June Hahn, a marimba player. She will perform at Artist House. in the theater district of Daehangno in Jongno District, central Seoul, in March, June, November and December.

Hahn is a star musician in the marimba world, winning first place at the Japan Marimba Competition at just the age of 12 and winning more awards at the Paris Marimba Competition, Shanghai’s World Marimba Competition, the U.S. MTNA Competition, and more.

Rho Jae-bong is the Korean National Symphony Orchestra's pick for its composer-in-residence program for 2024-25. [KOREAN NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA]

For the Korean National Symphony Orchestra’s (KNSO) composer-in-residence program, Rho Jae-bong, 28, is the headliner for 2024 and 2025. His recent work, “I Want to Go Home,” will debut in December during a KNSO recital. Rho will announce another commissioned piece next year.

Rho was the Busan Philharmonic Orchestra’s first appointed composer in 2022 and has worked with the Busan Cinema Center and the Korean Academy of Film Arts on film soundtracks.

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]