Concerts to heal scars of Korean War

In commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the cessation of the Korean War, musicians and activists from around the world will gather at Cheolwon, Gangwon Province, and Seoul to call for peace and harmony on the Korean Peninsula.

The “Concerto for Peace” will be held at the front garden of the former Workers’ Party headquarters building in Cheolwon on June 22 at 6 p.m. and on the following day at the Seoul Sejong Center for the Performing Arts at 5 p.m. featuring world-class musicians and the KBS Symphony Orchestra led by Christopher Warren-Green. 

The concert will present Webber’s “Oberon-Overture”; Saint-Saens’s “Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso in A Minor Op. 28”; Bruch’s “Kol Nidrei Op. 47”; Sibelius’ “Finlandia Op. 26” and Beethoven’s Triple Concerto C Major Op. 56. Lithuanian violinist Julian Rachlin, internationally acclaimed cellist Lynn Harrell and Korea’s piano virtuoso Kim Dae-jin will join the stage.

Warren-Green, music director of the London Chamber Orchestra since 1988, is known for his passionate yet steady conducting while the Avery Fisher Prize-laureate cellist Lynn Harrell unveiled his personal story of losing a close friend to the Korean War and volunteered to participate in organizing the concert. 

Lithuanian violinist Julian Rachlin, who shot to international fame by winning the title of Eurovision Young Musician of the Year in 1988, has recently ventured into conducting. His “Julian Rachlin & Friends” festival, an annual music festival in Dubrovnik, Croatia, has become one of the most anticipated events in Eastern Europe.

Rachlin, Harrell and Korean master pianist Kim will “clash” in the Beethoven triple concerto, which has been selected as the motif of the concert. The piece is a unique work by Beethoven ― piano, cello and violin compete and control each other until at last they come together to create harmony.

“The piece heavily depends on the capacity of each player. It reminded us of the current situation between the two Koreas ― though we are at loggerheads, it is our goal to harmonize,” the organizers said in a press release.

The first performance will be held with the old Workers’ Party headquarters building as the backdrop. The Russian-style building was built in 1946 has been designated as cultural heritage of modern times, in memory of the scars of the Korean War.

The organizers expressed hope that music would bring relief to the tension on the Korean Peninsula and lead to peace one day.

“Unfortunately, the war that separated the country 60 years ago is still with us. We believe that art has the power to link people with communication and hope, regardless of their political beliefs. Armed with ‘art’ as a weapon, it is time we seek a peaceful solution to the division. We hope the concert could ignite the movement to end the war,” said Lee Chul-ju, main producer of the event.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)