In the evening on August 31, Brahms’ “Symphony No. 4 in e minor Op. 98” will ring out across Smetana Hall, a celebrated concert hall in Prague, the Czech Republic. The masterpiece will be created this time by one of the most lauded Korean orchestras, the Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra, or Bucheon Phil for short.


Starting with the August 31 performance, the orchestra will put on a series of concerts at the Hercules Hall in Munich, Germany, on September 2 and then at the Musikverein Golden Hall in Vienna, Austria, on September 4.

This is the first time that Bucheon Phil will set foot on European soil, despite being in the international spotlight at the 2001 Asia Orchestra Week in Tokyo and being invited to perform in Kawasaki, a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.

“I feel cautious and a bit burdensome to present Brahms in front of audiences in Vienna. However, we will do our best to interpret the great musician in our own way with confidence.”

So said conductor Lim Hun-joung who will lead the orchestra throughout the European tour.


Lim has conducted Bucheon Phil for over 25 years from 1989 until January this year, boasting a wide repertoire of Brahms, Mahler, Bruckner and Beethoven. He currently serves as the artistic director and chief conductor of the Korean Symphony Orchestra and also as Conductor Laureate of Bucheon Phil.

Composer Jun Sangjick’s new piece, “Credo For Orchestra,” is also included in the repertoire for the orchestra’s upcoming European concerts. Jun composed the work for the orchestra and it will premiere to the global audience.


Violinist Clara Jumi Kang, a world-class violist who has been active across the U.S. and Europe, as well as in Asian countries, will join in on the special journey too, as she collaborates with the orchestra on Tchaikovsky’s “Violin Concerto in D Minor Op. 35.

“This tour is surely a good chance to inspire the orchestra and to upgrade our capacity, as we will perform in such prominent venues with hundreds-of-years-long history,” said conductor Lim.

“For me, too, I’ve never conducted at these important and historical halls in my whole career. I feel honored.”

By Sohn JiAe
Korea.net Staff Writer
jiae5853@korea.kr