Herald Corp., the publisher of The Korea Herald, will launch the Herald Philharmonic Orchestra with a concert at Seoul Arts Center on Wednesday. 

The orchestra was established as part of the company’s efforts to give back to society. It aims to expand the reach of orchestral music in Korea and spread the spirit of harmony through music.

It is directed and conducted by Kim Bong-mee and comprised of about 70 musicians who were educated at some of the finest music institutions in Korea and abroad.

At its debut concert, the HPO will perform familiar orchestral pieces as well as opera arias featuring the country’s top singers and solo instrumentalists.

The concert will open on a festive note with “Triumphal March” from Verdi’s opera “Aida,” followed by a composition by Saint-Saens ― Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso (Op. 28) ― featuring internationally renowned violinist Kim Eung-soo as the soloist.

Veteran trumpeter Ahn Hee-chan will then take the stage, presenting the “Carnival of Venice” by Arban.

Soprano Oh Eun-kyung and tenor Lee Jung-won will sing two of the most popular opera arias ― “Caro Nome” (from Verdi’s “Rigoletto”) and “Nessun Dorma” (from Puccini’s “Turandot”). They will sing a duet, “Libiamo ne Lieti Calici” from Verdi’s “La Traviata,” to wrap up the first half of the concert.

In the second half, the orchestra will demonstrate its musical capability with a 48-minute symphonic masterpiece and crowd favorite ― Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5.

On Oct. 18, the Herald Philharmonic will perform a free outdoor concert at Seoul Arts Center as part of a community festival.


When: 8 p.m., Oct. 8 (Wednesday)

Where: Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center

Information: (02) 586-0945