Pianist Lim Yun-chan and conductor Marin Alsop, who drew global attention at the 2022 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, will reunite in Seoul four years later for Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3. This time they will be joined by the Philadelphia Orchestra, an ensemble with a special connection to the composer.
The Philadelphia Orchestra will perform in Seoul from Nov. 5 to 9, presenting Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 with Alsop conducting and Lim as soloist. It is the orchestra's first visit to Korea since 2017 and Alsop's first appearance on a Korean stage. The Nov. 7 program will feature the orchestra alone, without a soloist.
The reunion draws attention because it recalls the final round of the 16th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, held on June 17, 2022, in Fort Worth, Texas. Lim, then 18, performed Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra under Alsop. That performance made him the youngest winner in the competition's history and brought him to the attention of the classical music world. Video of the performance drew an explosive response online and became one of his signature recordings.
It is also the first time Lim will perform Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3 in Korea since winning the Cliburn. Over the past four years he has appeared at major concert halls around the world, and how he now reinterprets the work that made his name is a focus of interest.
The Philadelphia Orchestra has deep ties to Rachmaninoff. After settling in the United States, the composer worked closely with the ensemble, which premiered and recorded his later works and played a key role in realizing his distinctive orchestral colors. The so-called "Philadelphia Sound," built on a rich string tone, is also closely linked to his music.
Alsop currently serves as principal guest conductor of the Philadelphia Orchestra. A former music director of the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra who has led major ensembles worldwide, she is regarded as a pioneering figure who expanded opportunities for women conductors. Four years after working with Lim in the Cliburn finals, she returns to the stage with him in the same work.
The visit also carries added significance as one of America's leading orchestras comes to Korea after nine years in the year marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence.
The Nov. 9 concert is sponsored by Tiffany & Co., with tickets going on sale at 2 p.m. on the 30th of this month. The Nov. 5 concert in Incheon is sold out, and the Nov. 6 performance is by invitation only. Tickets for the Nov. 7 and 8 concerts will be released in stages.
