The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) is set to welcome the new year with its 2025 New Year’s Concert, celebrating its 20th anniversary as a foundation and 80 years since its establishment. The event will take place on January 10 at 7:30 PM in the Grand Theater of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. This special occasion will feature 16-year-old violin prodigy Kim Seo Hyun, who will perform as a soloist.
The concert will open with Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90, known as the Italian Symphony, inspired by the composer’s travels in Italy. The vibrant and lively melodies of the piece set a cheerful tone for the evening.
In the second half, Kim Seo Hyun will perform Jean Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47, the only concerto composed by the Finnish master. This renowned piece is celebrated for its balance between orchestral grandeur and the violin’s expressive lyricism, blending emotional restraint with dramatic intensity. The concerto demands both technical brilliance and deep interpretative skill, making it a highlight of the program.
Kim Seo Hyun has quickly risen to international prominence, earning accolades at prestigious competitions. In 2021, she won the Ysaye International Music Competition and the Leonid Kogan International Violin Competition. She made history in 2022 as the youngest-ever winner of the Thomas and Evon Cooper International Competition in Oberlin, USA, and in 2023, she became the youngest victor of Switzerland’s long-standing Tibor Varga International Violin Competition at just 14 years old.
The concert will conclude with two iconic works by Johann Strauss II, known as the “King of Waltz.” The overture to his operetta Die Fledermaus (The Bat) is an exuberant and frequently performed piece that exemplifies his genius for orchestral storytelling. The program will close with The Blue Danube, perhaps Strauss’s most famous waltz, capturing the elegance and spirit of Vienna.
Tickets for the concert range from 10,000 to 70,000 KRW, depending on seating, and are available through the SPO website, call center, and the Sejong Center. Discounts are offered for national merit recipients, medical support beneficiaries, and people with disabilities, who may bring one companion with proper identification for a 50% discount. Youth members aged 7–24 are eligible for discounts of 20% (via Sejong Center and Interpark) or 40% (via the SPO). Patrons who attended the 2024 New Year’s Concert can also receive a 20% discount on tickets.
The 2025 New Year’s Concert promises a blend of youthful brilliance, timeless classics, and festive spirit, marking a celebratory milestone for the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and a memorable start to the year.
Sayart / Joy, nunimbos@gmail.com
The portrait of Kim Seo Hyun, Courtesy of SPO
The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra (SPO) is set to welcome the new year with its 2025 New Year’s Concert, celebrating its 20th anniversary as a foundation and 80 years since its establishment. The event will take place on January 10 at 7:30 PM in the Grand Theater of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. This special occasion will feature 16-year-old violin prodigy Kim Seo Hyun, who will perform as a soloist.
The concert will open with Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90, known as the Italian Symphony, inspired by the composer’s travels in Italy. The vibrant and lively melodies of the piece set a cheerful tone for the evening.
In the second half, Kim Seo Hyun will perform Jean Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op. 47, the only concerto composed by the Finnish master. This renowned piece is celebrated for its balance between orchestral grandeur and the violin’s expressive lyricism, blending emotional restraint with dramatic intensity. The concerto demands both technical brilliance and deep interpretative skill, making it a highlight of the program.
Kim Seo Hyun has quickly risen to international prominence, earning accolades at prestigious competitions. In 2021, she won the Ysaye International Music Competition and the Leonid Kogan International Violin Competition. She made history in 2022 as the youngest-ever winner of the Thomas and Evon Cooper International Competition in Oberlin, USA, and in 2023, she became the youngest victor of Switzerland’s long-standing Tibor Varga International Violin Competition at just 14 years old.
The concert will conclude with two iconic works by Johann Strauss II, known as the “King of Waltz.” The overture to his operetta Die Fledermaus (The Bat) is an exuberant and frequently performed piece that exemplifies his genius for orchestral storytelling. The program will close with The Blue Danube, perhaps Strauss’s most famous waltz, capturing the elegance and spirit of Vienna.
Tickets for the concert range from 10,000 to 70,000 KRW, depending on seating, and are available through the SPO website, call center, and the Sejong Center. Discounts are offered for national merit recipients, medical support beneficiaries, and people with disabilities, who may bring one companion with proper identification for a 50% discount. Youth members aged 7–24 are eligible for discounts of 20% (via Sejong Center and Interpark) or 40% (via the SPO). Patrons who attended the 2024 New Year’s Concert can also receive a 20% discount on tickets.
The 2025 New Year’s Concert promises a blend of youthful brilliance, timeless classics, and festive spirit, marking a celebratory milestone for the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and a memorable start to the year.
