Beautiful melodies resonate on the campus

KU holds an outdoor concert to celebrate its 111th anniversary

On Wednesday, May 11 at 5:30 pm, Korea University (KU) held an outdoor concert in the KU Central Plaza to celebrate its 111th anniversary.

Under the theme of <The Wing> Symphony Song led by conductor Shinik Ham performed seven pieces of music: Jules Massenet’s “La Navarraise, Act II Ballet Music” from “Le Cid”; Morricone’s Gabriel's “Oboe” by oboist Hyo Jung Ahn; Jahanes Brahms’ “Hungarian Dance No. 1”; Antonio Vivaldi’s “Spring” from “Four Seasons” by violinist Hye Sung Oh; Manuel de Falla’s “Spanish Dance No. 1” from “La Vida Breve”; Mozart’s “Flute Concerto No. 1: 1st Mvt” by flutist Se Hyeon Kim; and Tchaikovsky’s “Symphony No. 4 in F-minor Op.36: 4th Mvt.”

Before the orchestral performance took place, an agreement of cultural exchange was made on the basis of mutual cooperation of Symphony Song Orchestra for the Next Generation and KU. 

Ji-young Shin, Vice President for Student Affairs said, “Yesterday’s weather worried me, but I feel like I received today’s beautiful weather as a gift for today’s event on celebrating the cultural cooperative system. Conductor Shinik Ham of Symphony Song has offered his support in fostering students’ cultural leadership. I hope you could imagine and suggest many things for KU’s ‘campus of culture’ that will spread before us by listening to the orchestra today.”

Conductor Shinik Ham has previously worked as the music director of the Korean Broadcasting System (KBS) Symphony Orchestra and the art director of Daejeon Philharmonic Orchestra. He is currently a professor at Yale University and serves as the art director of Symphony Song. Conductor Ham said, “I have always imagined hearing classical music in front of Inchon Memorial Hall. Thanks to music lovers including KU president Jaeho Yeom, this has become a reality.”

Symphony Song, led by conductor Ham, will be touring Korea by riding ‘The Wing, Trucks with Wings’, a special customized moving stage. To create a ‘campus of culture’, KU has created an Art Leadership Program this year and as a part of the cultural program, KU signed an agreement with Symphony Song.

Last month, Symphony Song has conducted a performance on campus for KU members and students during lunch hours.

Under the name of KU Art Leadership Program, KU is making various attempts to create a ’campus of culture’.

Under the theme of ‘Lunch Hours with Art’, KU plans to recruit and invite university clubs to carry out artistic performances on campus every Wednesday during lunch hour in May and June.