By Diplomacy Journal Lee Kap-soo

The Turkiye Presidential Symphony Orchestra and pianist Kim Hong-gi will perform at Chuncheon Cultural Arts Hall in Gangwon Province.

The event organized by the Music in PyeongChang Organization (Festival & Music & Education Organisation), just one country per year is selected for representation.

The International Classical Music Days event will be held from 31 August to 5 September 2024 in the city of Chuncheon, in the Gangwon Province, Republic of South Korea, and is supported by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, operated by the Korean Ministry of Culture.  

The year 2025 marks the 75th anniversary of our country’s support for South Korea during the Korean War. Accordingly, and in terms of both Türkiye’s warm relations with the Republic of Korea and the upcoming 70th anniversary in 2027 of the two countries’ diplomatic relations, we believe that our participation in this concert is essential, an official in charge of the event said. 

The Presidential Symphony Orchestra last performed in the Republic of South Korea in 1993. Thirty-one years later, the Orchestra has again been invited as an honoured guest to participate in the International Classical Music Days organisation, with the contributions of the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. 

“Turkiye’s participation is of great importance for the cultural cooperation between countries, as well as representing our country in the international arena,” said a staff of the Embassy of Turkiye in Seoul.

Cemi’i Can Deliorman will direct the concert, which will take place on 4 September at the Chucheon Culture and Arts Centre Concert Hall. Kim Hong-gi, a young South Korean musician who has won numerous international awards, including first place at the Hong Kong International Piano Competition in 2019, will perform as a soloist in the Korea-Türkiye Friendship Concert. 

The concert will begin with Turkish composer Ferit Tüzün’s Çayda Çıra Ballet Suite, followed by P.I. Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, with pianist Kim Hong-gi as the soloist. The second half of the concert will feature A. Dvorak’s Symphony No. 9, From the New World.