Hip-hop musician bids farewell to decadelong career with new album

Han Jae-min, a 16-year-old cellist, took home first prize from the International Isang Yun Competition on Saturday at the Tongyeong Concert Hall, South Gyeongsang Province. Earlier last week, the four finalists, including three South Korean cellists -- Han Jae-min, Joeng Woo-chan, Kim Deok-yong -- and Florian Pons from France, were announced. The finalists were required to perform one concerto with the Tongyeong Festival Orchestra led by Venezuelan conductor Christian Vasquez. Han performed Is

German hornist Felix Klieser is returning to South Korea this month for the fourth time, for his first ever solo recital here. In 2015, he was in Seoul to perform in a series of concerts celebrating the opening of the Kumho Art Hall Yonsei. He attended the Jeju International Wind Ensemble Festival in 2018 and 2019. And now his upcoming concert on Nov. 9 at Seoul Arts Center will be his first solo recital in the country. Klieser is often described as a musician who has overcome disability. He was

The Korea Music Copyright Association, the biggest music copyright manager in the country, with some 46,000 songwriters and composers’ music works trusted to the association, said Wednesday that it ranked ninth in terms of music royalty collections among 142 societies in the same sector around the globe. Citing data from the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers, the France-based world’s largest network in the creative sectors with 228 member societies i

18-year-old musician unpacks his new EP as an album that can stir up nostalgia

Yang In-mo, the winner of this year’s International Jean Sibelius Violin Competition, never thought he would be competing in a competition again. After all, he had already taken home the top prize from the prestigious Paganini Competition in 2015, at the age of 19, which was the first time the jury awarded that prize since 2006. Last December, the violinist decided to take part in the competition held in Helsinki in a desperate search for a change and a more active career and he surprise

In celebration of his 10th anniversary, singer-songwriter Roy Kim reveled in the autumn season with his fourth LP, “,and,” which was released on Tuesday evening. After a monthslong hiatus, the musician returned to the music charts for the first time in nearly three years since the release of his digital single “Linger On” in May 2020. It’s also the first time he has released an LP in seven years since the release of his third, “The Great Dipper,” in 2015

South Korean piano sensation Lim Yun-chan has joined the roster of London-based global performing arts management agency IMG Artists as he expands his activities globally, his Korean management MOC production announced Wednesday. In June, Lim won the gold medal at the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, the youngest winner ever, and became an instant sensation with his performance of Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3, which has been viewed 8.4 million times on YouTu

The former presidential office compound of Cheong Wa Dae will be turned into a classical music chamber in November, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Tuesday. Korea's four top classical artists will take turns performing in front of 100 people at the former state reception house Yeongbingwan. Kicking off the series, pianist Kim Sun-wook will perform Schubert’s Four Impromptus and Liszt’s Piano Sonata in B minor on Nov. 1. On Nov. 4, pianist Sunwoo Yewon and the

When celebrated pianist Andras Schiff returns to South Korea in November after three years of pandemic-caused delays, the longest gap since he started performing in the country in 2008, the Hungarian-born Austro-British classical pianist said he will bring an "element of surprise." In the past recitals in Korea, he performed a wide range of works by Bach, Schumann, Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Brahms. Departing from his usual repertoire, he will perform "something out of Bach, Haydn

Korean concert pianist Kim Sun-wook and conductor Kirill Karabits met for the first time in 2008 in Seoul when they performed with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra. Karabits recalled being overwhelmed by Kim’s playing and musicality. “Since then, we've become close friends and regularly perform together,” Karabits said in a recent email interview. The two have taken the stage together several times, including Kim's debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in 2019.

Leenalchi, the group that took South Korea by storm with “Tiger Is Coming” in 2020, is back with “Mul Mit” with a lot of pressure on their shoulders this time. The sensational success of “Tiger Is Coming” has kept the band busy for the past two years as the members continued to experiment with what the band could offer. But that means a lot more ears and eyes have been anticipating their new project. “We feel a lot of pressure but hope people can enjoy

The Seoul Arts Center is scheduled to stage SAC Opera Gala featuring popular opera arias and songs at the Opera Theater from Friday to Sunday. The SAC Opera Gala will offer three different nights of opera performances -- Opening Night, Mozart Opera Highlights and Special Gala performance -- with different combinations of conductors, opera singers, orchestras and choirs. KBS Symphony Orchestra will take the stage with Noi Opera Chorus, under the baton of conductor Toshiyuki Kamioka on Friday and

American indie pop trio almost monday, who visited Korea for the first time to present a laid-back yet exciting moment to the local music fans, said that its dream has come true. The San Diego-based alt-pop band, comprised of vocalist Dawson Daugherty, bass guitarist Luke Fabry and guitarist Cole Clisby, held a press conference on Tuesday at Universal Music Korea’s headquarters in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. The trio held its first live concert in Korea at Watcha Hall in Mapo-gu, in wester

Over the course of nearly two decades, Kim Yong-jun of vocal group SG Wannabe has gone from a fresh rookie to an industry veteran who has scored multiple megahits. But he describes himself as a "no-hit wonder" because there’s nothing that he can present as a soloist. Now, Kim seems to be ready to branch out with his first-ever solo album, “Suddenly,” which released Friday evening. “I’m nervous but excited at the same time about dropping my first album, and