1. Pianist Kim Dae-jin is both soloist and conductor for Suwon Phil Tuesday.
2. Conductor Edmon Colomer will lead the Daejeon Philharmonic Friday.
3. Alexander Anissimov will conduct the Busan Philharmonic Thursday.
4. Violinist Lee Sung-joo will appear with the Chungnam Philharmonic April 22.



By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter

The Seoul Arts Center celebrates 20 years of music and art with the 2008 Orchestra Festival through April 23. The arts center began its concert relay April 1 inviting 20 orchestras from across the country, and there are still nine more concerts to go.

Renowned artists such as pianists Park Jong-hwa and Son Yeol-eum and violinist Kim Nam-yun have appeared with orchestras from Incheon to Wonju. More premier musicians from near and far will continue to join in the anniversary as guest conductors and soloists.
Be prepared for more renditions of Beethoven, Brahms and Rachmaninov.

The Suwon Philharmonic will take the stage tonight. Korea will be able to see its own version of a Daniel Barenboim performance, as esteemed pianist and professor Kim Dae-jin appears as both conductor and soloist. He will perform Beethoven's Overture ``Egmont,'' Piano Concerto No. 5 and Symphony No. 7.

Wednesday, the Changwon Philharmonic, conducted by Yazaki Hikotaro, will play Haydn's Cello Concerto No. 2 with cellist Kang Seung-min. Thursday, Alexander Anissimov will conduct the Busan Philharmonic in Beethoven's Piano Concert No. 4, with pianist Kim Jung-eun.

Friday, Edmon Colomer will lead the Daejeon Philharmonic. Lee Seung-kyung will give the solo for Strauss' Oboe Concerto. Lee was selected through the Orchestra Festival guest players' audition, a project initiated by the Seoul Arts Center a few years ago to help talented young artists make their debut on the big stage.

Saturday, the Kim Nanse-helmed Gyeonggi Philharmonic offers an unconventional concert, a feast for the ears and eyes. As the orchestra revives Rachmaninov's Second Symphony, French artist Gerard Economos will draw on a giant canvas set up onstage.

Sunday, pianist Yoon Chul-hee will perform Piano Concert No. 4 with the Gunsan Philarmonic, conducted by Lim Dong-soo. April 21, the Gangnam Symphony, will play Dvorak's Cello Concerto with star cellist Song Young-hoon. Song has a large fan base in Korea for his tango-inspired music and good looks.

On the 22nd, internationally renowned violinist and professor Lee Sung-ju offers Bruch's Scottish Fantasy for Violin and Orchestra with the Chungnam Philharmonic. Also included in the program is ``Verkleidan,'' a contemporary composition for orchestra by Shin Su-jung.

Last but not least, the Seoul Philharmonic will close the festival April 23. Conductor Seikyo Kim, the genius who inspired the popular Japanese comic and TV drama ``Nodame Cantabille,'' will take the baton. Prodigy violinist Shin Hyun-su will perform Sibelius' Violin Concerto.

Tickets cost 10,000-30,000 won for each concert. Call (02) 580-1300 for more information. The Seoul Arts Center is located near exit 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal station on subway line 3 (shuttle bus available).

hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr