Corporate engagement in cultural activities is not only based on capitalistic motives. Rather, its impact is immensely positive in terms of encouraging people’s cultural awareness.

The Herald Philharmonic Orchestra, an ensemble founded by Herald Corp., the publisher of The Korea Herald, held its debut concert Wednesday night at the Concert Hall of Seoul Arts Center.

The newly created orchestra’s music director and conductor, Kim Bong-mee, opened the concert with the famous trumpet fanfare of “Triumphal March” from Verdi’s opera “Aida,” followed by performances by Korea’s top four soloists. 

Violinist Kim Eung-soo presented Saint-Saens’ “Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso” (Op. 28), playing a piece that expresses French simplicity with elegance and purity.

Trumpeter Ahn Hee-chan performed Arban’s “Carnival of Venice,” a piece that contains double and triple tonguing and fast tempos.

As for vocals, soprano Oh Eun-kyung and tenor Lee Jung-won performed some of the most beloved opera arias and duets: “Caro Nome” from Verdi’s “Rigoletto,” “Nessun Dorma” from Puccini’s “Turandot” and “Libiamo ne Lieti Calici” from Verdi’s “La Traviata.”

As the concert was held through corporate participation in cultural activities, whether it will be able to continue fulfilling its mission solely depends on the conductor, because it is ultimately the conductor who creates the personality of the orchestra.

Kim Bong-mee brings out the structural beauty of classical music. All of her music holds the characteristic of enlightenment because it contains her gentleness. She makes the audience connect with the music, feeling its warmth and comfort, and yet clearly tells the story of the music, making them understand better.

The concert concluded with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, a 48-minute symphonic masterpiece that expresses the composer’s unique Russian personality through its melody and chords.

Kim also rendered this intense piece with her own gentleness yet grasped its beauty and personality to help the audience comprehend its meaning.

This shows the high potential of the new orchestra: the potential to change the grandness and persuasive power of the orchestra into an enlightening factor.

I look forward to hearing them in the future and I wonder what their future holds.

By Moon Il-keun

The writer is a classical music critic. ― Ed.