Herald Philharmonic holds spring concert

The Herald Philharmonic Orchestra on Thursday held its fifth annual concert at Seoul Arts Center, with music ranging from movie scores to orchestral choral works.

“I hope the visitors to concert to feel fully the breath of the upcoming spring through the Herald Philharmonic’s music,” said Namkoong Won, Honorary President of Herald Corp. 

The Herald Philharmonic Orchestra was launched in 2014 as part of Herald Corp.’s corporate social responsibility program. Led by conductor Kim Bong-mi, the orchestra comprises some 70 musicians educated at some of the finest music institutions here and abroad.

Some 2,000 attendees attended the Thursday concert, including German Ambassador Stephan Auer, South African Ambassador Nozuko Gloria Bam and Sri Lankan Ambassador Manisha Gunasekera, as well as numerous corporate executives from South Korean companies.

“I believe there are many possibilities in organizing such cultural event,” said South African Ambassador Nozuko Gloria Bam. “It’s a good way of connecting and bridging people together.”

The evening concert opened with Orff’s oratorio “Carmina Burana O Fortuna,” performed by the orchestra and the Winner Opera Chorus, followed by soprano Lee Myung-hee’s joint gagok performance with the Winner Opera Chorus and sopranos Park Ji-hyun’s performance of Lehar’s “Giuditta.” The two sopranos also introduced Strauss’s “Voices of Spring Waltz.” 

Guitarist Jang Ha-eun gave a solo performance of Liszt’s “Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2,” and the orchestra and Winner Opera Chorus closed the first half with the main theme of film “The Mission” -- renowned composition by film music composer Ennio Morricone.

After the intermission, Solus Brass Quintet played pieces by Koetsier and Rafael Forte. The orchestra then finished with Korean composer Ahn Eak-tai’s “Korean Fantasy,” accompanied by the Winner Opera Chorus.

By Shim Woo-hyun (ws@heraldcorp.com)