Composer

Unsuk Chin on Unsuk Chin

Unsuk Chin on her Piano Concerto

Zell Music Director Designate Klaus Mäkelä leads Beethoven’s buoyant Seventh Symphony — always a thrill to hear live — alongside two contemporary works inspired by Beethoven. Yunchan Lim, the youngest-ever winner of the Van Cliburn Competition, presents the enchanting, heartfelt Piano Concerto of Robert Schumann — a composer with the soul of a poet.

EPSG:4326

Klaus Mäkelä & Yunchan Lim

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

One of the leading composers of our time, Unsuk Chin now graces the Staatskapelle stage as Capell-Compositrice. »Subito con forza« from 2020 is her homage to Beethoven. A former student of György Ligeti, Chin’s music combines analytical acuity with evocative imagery. This work provides a stimulating contrast to Mahler’s Sixth while also provoking a conversation on structural clarity and existential expressiveness. The symphony conjures up a world of tragedy. Offering no comfort and no conciliatory finale, the »Tragic« is uncompromising in its severity. Part of the ongoing Mahler cycle, Daniele Gatti will conduct this jewel of the composer’s middle creative phase, celebrated not least for its powerful hammer blows.

Symphony Concert N° 4

Semperoper Dresden

Intensity has a name, and it’s Dvorák’s Symphony No. 7! With sweeping melodies, dramatic flair, and a whole lot of heart, this late Romantic masterpiece is an inspiration to hear.

Dvorák’s Symphony No. 7 & Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3

Salt Palace Convention Center

Start your morning off right with a behind-the-scenes look at the process of bringing our concerts to the stage. Finishing Touches gives our audience the opportunity to observe working rehearsals; selections from the program will be rehearsed at the discretion of the conductor.

Intensity has a name, and it’s Dvorák’s Symphony No. 7! With sweeping melodies, dramatic flair, and a whole lot of heart, this late Romantic masterpiece is an inspiration to hear.

Dvorak's Symphony No. 7: Finishing Touches Rehearsal

Korean composer Unsuk Chin’s subito con forza provides a thrilling opening to a concert of music mixing savage drama with the sweetest possible melodies. Tchaikovsky’s violin concerto was written in only a few days in an unstoppable flow of passion and inspiration, while Mussorgsky’s Pictures from an Exhibition (fabulously orchestrated by Maurice Ravel) mourns the tragic early death of an artist friend; the music rages against the cruelty of his fate, remembers the sweetness of shared experiences, and in the last movement, “The Great Gate of Kiev”, fills us all with hope for a better future.

Drama and Pathos: Goosby Plays Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto

Jacobs Music Center

What does classical music sound like today? Astonishingly diverse, of course! And no one could know this better than the Frankfurt-based Ensemble Modern – the leading ensemble for cutting-edge music, which has been shaking up the classical music world for more than four decades. Under the direction of the accomplished star conductor Sylvain Cambreling, it performs works by two very different composers with whom the musicians have enjoyed a long-standing collaboration: the Berlin-based South Korean composer Unsuk Chin and the German grandmaster Helmut Lachenmann, whom the Ensemble Modern also congratulates on his 90th birthday.

Ensemble Modern / Sylvain Cambreling

Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

“More for a Caruso than a Paganini,” Korngold said, is how he wrote his Violin Concerto. This means: a bold embrace of lyrical richness. Renaud Capuçon, with his rich, velvety violin tone, is the ideal interpreter, and Shostakovich’s 11th Symphony provides a stark counterpoint. This symphony is like a history lesson. Its title, “The Year 1905,” refers to Bloody Sunday in St. Petersburg and the massacre of demonstrating workers in front of the Tsar’s palace. The tension, the confrontation between the people and the authorities, the grief for the dead are vividly audible here. Revolutionary songs, workers’ anthems, protest songs—this is the material from which Shostakovich crafts a powerfully evocative symphony—one that resonates just as strongly with its year of composition, 1957, with the Hungarian Uprising that had just been brutally suppressed, as it does with our own time. With this performance, Alain Altinoglu and the hr Symphony Orchestra continue their recording of all Shostakovich symphonies this season. Also physically demanding, energetic, and featuring a powerful percussion section, is "Alaraph," a work by Focus artist Unsuk Chin, being heard for the first time in Germany. The title comes from one of the so-called "heartbeat stars," whose pulsation resembles the heart rate in an electrocardiogram.

Shostakovich 11

Alte Oper

RDAM Gala Concert 2025

Konservatoriets Koncertsal

If you want to do justice to the broad spectrum of Jonathan Stockhammer's musical work and his cross-genre curiosity, you have to leave the usual pigeonholes and classifications behind. Born in Los Angeles, the conductor who consistently pushes musicals limits devotes himself to the classical and contemporary repertoire with the same passion. This is the driving force behind his work: to understand and appreciate music in its universality. He loves opera, ballet and modern dance theatre, experimental premieres and unconventional concert formats that break down encrusted structures in favour of new listening experiences. Thanks to his astonishing talent for explaining music and understanding the audience not only as a resonating space but as a dialogue partner, he makes music newly understandable, newly experienceable.

Portrait concert by Capell-Compositrice Unsuk Chin

Festspielhaus Hellerau

From its atmospheric beginning, Le Silence des Sirènes evokes vivid imagery of ill-fated ships on top of great, swelling waves: the score is alive with crashing percussion and warning brass interjections, the enigmatic sirens’ song provided by Faustine de Monès. Unsuk Chin drew upon several classical sources for the work, including Homer, Joyce and – most notably – Kafka, whose short story gave the work its name.

Schubert’s Great Symphony

The Bridgewater Hall

Hear the UK premiere of Hallé Featured Composer, Unsuk Chin’s shimmering Le Silence des Sirènes, ‘a dazzling reflection on Homer’s formidable femmes fatales’ (Financial Times). From its atmospheric beginning, Le Silence des Sirènes evokes vivid imagery of ill-fated ships on top of great, swelling waves: the score is alive with crashing percussion and warning brass interjections, the enigmatic sirens’ song provided by Faustine de Monès. Unsuk Chin drew upon several classical sources for the work, including Homer, Joyce and – most notably – Kafka, whose short story gave the work its name. Britten’s Four Sea Interludes opens the programme: orchestral ‘scene changes’ from his opera Peter Grimes conveying the changing mood of the storytelling, but always with an atmospheric undercurrent of foreboding. Schubert’s majestic Symphony No.9 will round off the evening, with conductor Elena Schwarz showing us exactly why it’s known as ‘The Great’.

The Hallé – Schubert’s Great Symphony

Two auspicious debuts are sure to dazzle as Bulgarian-born Delyana Lazarova takes to the podium joined by one of today’s most sought-after pianists in Martin Helmchen on Mozart’s captivating Piano Concerto No. 24. A highlight among Mozart’s two dozen beloved piano concertos, the piece projects a reflective, personal, almost intimate quality that will showcase the virtuosity of the prodigious Helmchen.

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4

Denver Performing Arts Complex

Rimsky-Korsakov 'Scheherazade'

Lotte World Mall

Gustav Mahler and Arnold Schönberg met for the first time in Vienna in 1903. A friendly friendship immediately developed. These pioneers of modernism meet again in the program of the Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin. The Korean Unsuk Chin will perform a concert suite from her successful opera "Alice in Wonderland."

Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin | Cornelius Meister

Museum Ludwig

Friday Concert No. 7

Volkshaus Jena

Immerse yourself in the vibrant musical culture bridging Seoul and Los Angeles at the "Seoul Festival with the LA Phil: Night 2" at the iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall. Scheduled for Saturday, June 7, 2025, at 8:00 PM, this exceptional evening promises an exploration of innovative Korean compositions and performances that are shaping the global music scene.

Curated by the acclaimed composer Unsuk Chin, the night features a lineup that celebrates the rich tapestry of Korean musical talent. The program kicks off with a world premiere of a new work for orchestra by Whan Ri-Ahn, commissioned by the LA Phil, followed by the West Coast premiere of Unsuk Chin’s Clarinet Concerto, a piece heralded by the Financial Times as a "musical, out-of-body experience." The concert reaches its climax with Brahms’ Double Concerto, a masterpiece of musical dialogue performed by two rising South Korean stars, violinist Inmo Yang and cellist Jaemin Han. These young performers, celebrated for their international competition successes, bring their exceptional talents to a piece known for its emotional depth and complexity.

Under the baton of Herbert von Karajan Award-winning conductor Hankyeol Yoon, the Los Angeles Philharmonic will accompany these remarkable soloists, showcasing the dynamic and evolving landscape of Korean classical music. This event not only highlights the achievements of Korean composers and artists but also fosters a deeper cultural connection between Seoul and Los Angeles.

Join us for a night of groundbreaking performances that promise to enchant and inspire. Be part of a musical journey that transcends borders and celebrates the universal language of music.

Seoul Festival with the LA Phil: Night 2

Walt Disney Concert Hall

Experience the innovative sounds of contemporary Korean composers at the Walt Disney Concert Hall with "New Voices from Korea." This captivating event, part of the Seoul Festival Green Umbrella New Music Series, is scheduled for Tuesday, June 3, 2025, at 8:00 PM. The evening promises an exploration of new musical landscapes through the works of Juri SEO, Sun-Young PAHG, Yie-Eun CHUN, Dongjin BAE, and Unsuk CHIN, showcasing compositions that range from the world premiere of a LA Phil commission to the West Coast premiere of "Gougalōn Scenes from a street theatre."

The program includes:
- Juri SEO's "Concertino for piano and chamber orchestra"
- Sun-Young PAHG's "L'autre moitié de Silence for Daegum and Ensemble"
- Yie-Eun CHUN's new work for solo violin and ensemble, marking its world premiere
- Dongjin BAE's "reflective - silky and rough"
- Unsuk CHIN's "Gougalōn Scenes from a street theatre," presented for the first time on the West Coast

The LA Phil New Music Group and Ensemble TIMF, under the baton of conductor Soo-Yeoul Choi and curated by Unsuk Chin, will bring these compositions to life, offering an evening of groundbreaking music. This event is a key highlight of the Green Umbrella GU1 Series and forms an integral part of the Seoul Festival, celebrating the rich tapestry of Korean music and culture.

Don't miss this unique opportunity to experience the latest in contemporary music and the vibrant new voices from Korea at one of the most prestigious venues in Los Angeles.

New Voices from Korea

Kahchun Wong is joined by a host of acclaimed British soloists and the full forces of the Hallé and Hallé Choir for this triumphant season finale.

Rapturously received by the audience at its 1824 premiere, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony remains a firm favourite today. By this time, Beethoven was profoundly deaf and had to be gently turned to face the audience to accept their adulation, which was shown by the waving of hands, hats and handkerchiefs as well as multiple standing ovations.

The Hallé - Ode to Joy

Rapturously received by the audience at its 1824 premiere, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony remains a firm favourite today. By this time, Beethoven was profoundly deaf and had to be gently turned to face the audience to accept their adulation, which was shown by the waving of hands, hats and handkerchiefs as well as multiple standing ovations.

Ode to Joy

Dr. Kieron is a brilliant scientist, respected and feared by his colleagues. But what nobody suspects is that every night he is haunted in his dreams by three recurring beings, enigmatic numbers and mysterious symbols, which he experiences with unbearably intense feelings. It is from these apparitions that he receives his scientific visions - the fundamental basis of his success. He also leads a double life. A highly respected scientist by day, he dives into the shady underworld at night in a restless search for human happiness. But his control over himself is slipping away. In order to satisfy his irrepressible urge for scientific knowledge and an emotionally fulfilling life, Kieron wants to have his dreams analyzed and enters into an alliance with the diabolical master Astaroth, with fatal consequences. Unsuk Chin drew inspiration for her second opera from the life and work of the legendary physicist Wolfgang Pauli and his relationship with the psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung. Faustian material for the 21st century.

Die dunkle Seite des Mondes

Staatsoper Hamburg

Beethoven may be centre stage, but Shakespeare is once more in the wings for an extraordinary programme conducted by Elena Schwarz.

Ophelia, Hamlet’s doomed lover, narrates Hans Abrahamsen’s prize-winning song
cycle Let me tell you. With a vivid and virtuosic role, Jennifer France becomes an empowered and defiant heroine worthy of a Scandi drama. Roman General Coriolanus appears in tonight’s curtain raiser; fortunately, Beethoven’s version is more child friendly than Shakespeare’s. Coriolan is also the starting point of Unsuk Chin’s miniature for orchestra, subito con forza. Powerful and impulsive, Unsuk Chin pulls no punches in her homage to Beethoven, surely something he would have approved of!

Let me tell you

When Beethoven’s final piano concerto was premiered, it was hailed by the press as “without doubt one of the most original, imaginative, most effective but also one of the most difficult of concertos.” A longtime Pittsburgh favorite, Bronfman returns to perform this most beloved of the Beethoven concertos. Highlighting the program are works inspired by an eclectic variety of beloved fairy tales.

Bronfman Plays Beethoven

Heinz Hall for the Performing Arts

The St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra concludes its season with a program of passion and contrast. Prokofiev draws an arc of drama throughout his second Romeo and Juliet Suite. Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Unsuk Chin pays homage to Beethoven with her angular and brassy subito con forza, while Lili Boulanger depicts the grace and promise of a spring morning with lithe woodwind and string melodies. Aiden Moon, winner of the 2025 YO Concerto Competition, brings style and elegance to Henri Vieuxtemps’ Violin Concerto No. 5.

St. Louis Symphony Youth Orchestra - Season Finale

Touhill Performing Arts Center

South Korean composer Unsuk Chin has spent most of her working life in Germany where, as a young artist in Berlin, she absorbed many of the acoustic enthusiasms of European modernists in the late 20th century while swiftly building a distinctive language of her own. Her cello concerto, widely described as a triumph at its first appearance many years ago, has been taken up by many cellists and most recently by our own Alisa Weilerstein. Weilerstein’s mastery of drama and plangent lyricism is the perfect match for Unsuk Chin’s defiant and expressive music.

Weilerstein and Payare Perform Chin and Bruckner

Pianist and composer Mikael Darmanie performs an eclectic program showcasing the musical perspectives that have most influenced his own, from Olivier Messiaen, Robert Schumann and Alexander Scriabin to Erykah Badu. Darmanie says, “At first glance it’s giving music-streaming-app-playlist-on-shuffle vibes, but at its core, it represents the intersection of two disparate systems: the eclecticism of today’s algorithmic based society and the indifference of nature.”

Mikael Darmanie, piano

Kaufman Music Center

Alluding to ritual Korean court music as well as lively traditional Korean folkloric music, Chin’s depiction of “heartbeat stars” in Alaraph blends a large array of percussion instruments with massive orchestral forces to create a work of tremendous energy and physicality. Esprit’s premiere of Ma’s Hijinks launches not only an exciting new work but also a young composer’s early career in the manner Esprit has done for young composers through its history.

Cosmic Heartbeats

The Royal Conservatory of Music

Esprit Orchestra presents COSMIC HEARTBEATS

Beethoven’s 4th and Nielsen’s 5th symphonies share a strong tonal similarity: in both works, surprising gentleness can be found alongside rough, rugged landscapes – both in a delicate balance. Nielsen, who became an important representative of Danish late romanticism, especially with his orchestral music, found his most modern musical language in his symphony, which premiered in 1922. Robert Schumann once said of Beethoven’s Fourth from 1807 that it was the most romantic of his symphonies. Both compositions are comparatively rarely played in concert programs: Beethoven’s 4th Symphony is overshadowed by the preceding “Eroica” and the subsequent so-called “Symphony of Fate”. And Carl Nielsen is celebrated in Denmark and sometimes referred to as a national composer, but he is little known here.

6th Symphony Concert

Hessisches Staatstheater Wiesbaden

This adventurous program will feature Rimsky-Korsakov’s enchanting Scheherazade, which uses music to tell the story of 1001 Arabian Nights. NHSO proudly welcomes triple-Grammy nominee Wu Man – the world’s foremost pipa soloist – to serve as a “wordless narrator” on Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Du Yun’s extraordinary and unusual Ears of the Book.

Scheherazade

Yale University

Music is time in sound. Sometimes it is fast, sometimes very slow and extended. The tempo of the music can have a steady pulse like the heartbeat or expand like the universe. In this concert we rush, hearing and feeling, from the infinity of the atmosphere of space through the seasons and times of day to the now, immediately - in this moment.

Children's Day: Family Concert with the Konzerthaus Orchestra

Konzerthaus Berlin

Watch the performance on this page at the scheduled date and time. This performance won’t be available to stream afterward on demand. Should you have trouble accessing the stream via this page, please visit juilliard.live to stream this program.

Juilliard Orchestra Conducted by Ruth Reinhardt

Lincoln Center

Experience the grandeur of classical music with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra under the baton of Klaus Mäkelä, presenting an evening of Wagner and Strauss. This captivating concert is part of the Ibermúsica 2024-2025 Serie Arriaga, set to take place on Tuesday, 28th January 2025, at 19:30h in the prestigious Auditorio Nacional de Música de Madrid.

The evening's programme promises an unforgettable journey through the works of Unsuk Chin with "Subito con forza," Wagner's "Idilio de Sigfrido," and Strauss's symphonic poem "Una vida de héroe, op. 40." These pieces, performed by the world-renowned Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and led by the acclaimed conductor Klaus Mäkelä, guarantee a night of emotional depth and breathtaking musicianship.

Ticket prices include a 10% VAT but exclude handling fees, which will be applied at the time of payment. Ibermúsica reserves the right to make program changes if necessary and has policies in place for artist substitutions, alternative dates, or cancellations, ensuring the highest quality experience for all attendees.

Please note, all concerts start promptly at 19:30h, and late entry will not be permitted. This is an opportunity to immerse yourself in the power of live classical music, enjoy preferred seating, flexible payment options, and free cancellation benefits for subscribers.

For more information on season subscriptions and to ensure your place at this must-attend event, contact Ibermúsica at 34 91 426 03 97, available Monday to Thursday from 10h to 18h, and Friday from 10h to 14h. Don't miss this exquisite evening of music that promises to be a highlight of the cultural calendar.

Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - A5

National Music Auditorium

In Spain, Klaus Mäkelä leads the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Wagner’s Siegfried-Idyll, Richard Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben and Unsuk Chin’s subito con forza.

On tour: Klaus Mäkelä conducts Ein Heldenleben

Palau de la Música Catalana

Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider’s dual role as conductor and violinist lends an intimate touch to Beethoven’s beloved Violin Concerto, and Unsuk Chin’s subito con forza is a vibrant homage to Beethoven. Robert Schumann’s Second Symphony, composed amid his personal struggles, oscillates between despair, introspection, and exuberance, mirroring his emotional journey.

Beethoven’s Violin

David Pecaut Square

5th Philharmonic Concert: New Dimensions

Konzerthaus Dortmund

In contrast to the First Symphony, Ludwig van Beethoven clearly sharpened his own profile with his "Second": the more mature Mozart and no longer the antiquated Haydn shines through here as a source of inspiration. With this work, Beethoven finally marked the turning point from the cheerful and carefree Classical period to the emotional and melancholy early Romanticism. His contemporaries initially reacted with irritation to this transitional work, because this "wild colossus" only partially met their expectations. In view of the work's premiere on April 5, 1803 at the Theater an der Wien, which clearly captivated the audience, people spoke of "true breath of fire".

5th Symphony Concert

Staatstheater Braunschweig

Rachmaninoff’s Third Piano Concerto churns with uber-romantic melodies and Unsuk Chin’s music delights in contrasts. Copland’s last symphony, ringing with bells and brass, brings us home. The finale builds on Fanfare for the Common Man — an enduring masterpiece written for and premiered by the CSO at Music Hall — signaling the culmination and convergence of the composer’s entire career.

Rachmaninoff & Copland

Cincinnati Music Hall

Future chief conductor Klaus Mäkelä conducts the Concertgebouw Orchestra’s Christmas Matinee concert, featuring Wagner’s Siegfried-Idyll, Richard Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben and Unsuk Chin’s subito con forza, which marked the first time Mäkelä and the orchestra got acquainted, back in 2020.

Christmas Matinee: Klaus Mäkelä

The Concertgebouw

David Robertson & Leonidas Kavakos

Munich Residence

Tchaikovsky, Symphony No. 5

Maison de la Radio et de la Musique

How are composers able to capture the hustle and bustle of the city?  Join Parlando as it explores the sounds of the city, from Seoul to  Berlin to Buenos Aires. The program includes Unsuk Chin’s kaleidoscopic Gougalon,  Erwin Schulhoff’s jazzy Suite for Chamber Orchestra, and Astor  Piazzolla’s Nuevo Tango Suite Punta del Este, featuring bandoneon  soloist JP Jofre.

Sidewalk Tango

How are composers able to capture the hustle and bustle of the city? Join Parlando as it explores the sounds of the city, from Seoul to Berlin to Buenos Aires. The program includes Unsuk Chin’s kaleidoscopic Gougalon, Erwin Schulhoff’s jazzy Suite for Chamber Orchestra, and Astor Piazzolla’s Nuevo Tango Suite Punta del Este, featuring bandoneon soloist JP Jofre.

Parlando: Sidewalk Tango

Explore the musical connections between composers. Subito Con Forza by Unsuk Chin is a tribute to Beethoven written in honor of his 250th birthday. This work will follow Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture. Schumann and Brahms were tied together personally and professionally. Schumann’s Symphony No. 4 was written in 1841, then greatly revised and published in 1851. In 1891, however, Brahms, who much preferred the first version, published it against the wishes of Schumann’s wife, Clara. One of Brahms’s most beloved choral works, Schicksalslied, will be performed with the Syracuse University Oratorio Society

Schumann & Brahms

The Oncenter Crouse Hinds Theater

### Søndergård Conducts Mendelssohn and Brahms - Minnesota Orchestra

**Event Overview:**
Join the Minnesota Orchestra for an enchanting evening as Thomas Søndergård, the esteemed Danish conductor, leads the orchestra in a captivating performance featuring works by Mendelssohn and Brahms. This event promises to be a highlight of the season, showcasing the exceptional talents of both the orchestra and guest violinist Randall Goosby.

**Date & Time:**
- **Thursday, November 14, 2024**
- **Friday, November 15, 2024**

**Venue:**
- **Orchestra Hall**
  1111 Nicollet Mall, Minneapolis, MN 55403

**Program:**
- **CHIN:** Frontispiece
- **MENDELSSOHN:** Violin Concerto
- **BRAHMS/Schoenberg:** Piano Quartet No. 1 (orchestration by Arnold Schoenberg)

**Artists:**
- **Thomas Søndergård:** Conductor
- **Randall Goosby:** Violin

**Event Duration:**
- Approximately 2 hours, including intermission

**Ticket Information:**
- Tickets for this concert are available now as part of a package. Save up to 15% and receive subscriber perks when you purchase tickets for 3 or more concerts.
- Individual tickets will go on sale starting July 29.

**Additional Information:**
- **Pre-concert activities:** Enhance your concert experience with various pre-concert activities.
- **Valet Parking:** Available for your convenience.
- **Pre-order Beverages:** Skip the lines by pre-ordering your drinks.
- **Accessibility Services:** Orchestra Hall offers a range of services including armless & bariatric chairs, assistive listening devices, large-print programs, noise-cancelling headphones, service animal accommodations, and wheelchair & accessible seating.

**Presented by:**
- The 2024-2025 Classical Season is presented by Ameriprise Financial.

**Plan Your Visit:**
- **Directions & Parking:** Convenient parking is available just steps away from Orchestra Hall in the city-owned and skyway-connected 11th and Marquette Ramp.
- **Minnesota Orchestra Mobile App:** Download the app to pre-order intermission drinks, scan your ticket for entry, and access exclusive deals.

Prepare for an evening of musical brilliance as Thomas Søndergård and the Minnesota Orchestra bring the timeless works of Mendelssohn and Brahms to life. Secure your tickets now and be part of this unforgettable experience.

Søndergård Conducts Mendelssohn and Brahms

Minnesota Orchestra

Pianist Stephen Hough, star of more than 50 albums and a regular at the world’s top concert halls, from Chicago to Amsterdam, joins our very own Royal Northern Sinfonia and Principal Conductor Dinis Sousa.

Mozart's Jupiter Symphony

The Glasshouse International Centre for Music

Debussy gazed at the waves of the English channel, and saw – and heard – a thousand glowing colours. Isolated and ill, the exiled Bartók wrote a piano concerto for his beloved wife, and created rhythms that dance for joy. And in our own time, Unsuk Chin gazes into the infinite and finds a star that pulses in time with the human heart. 

That’s actually true: Chin’s wondrous new orchestral work takes its cue both from Korean court music and the curiously human rhythm of the star Alaraph. It’s an unforgettable opening to conductor Dinis Sousa’s nature-inspired debut with the BBC SO: and with the 'remarkable' (Guardian) French pianist Bertrand Chamayou also appearing for the first time with the BBC SO, there’ll be a regular constellation of stars in alignment tonight. The concert closes with the insistent rhythms and drama of Ravel’s Boléro.

BBC Symphony Orchestra/Sousa

Barbican Centre

Channel waves, folk rhythms and the heartbeat of the cosmos, as conductor Dinis Souza, pianist Bertrand Chamayou and the BBC Symphony Orchestra play Debussy, Bartók and Unsuk Chin.

Bartók’s Third Piano Concerto

Manhattan School of Music’s public programs are made possible in part by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature.

Orchestral Performance Program: OPUS130

Manhattan School of Music

This is the “must-attend” Classical series concert of the season as Matthias Pintscher begins his tenure as music director of the Kansas City Symphony!
 
Born in South Korea and now living in Berlin, Unsuk Chin is a superbly creative composer. She was commissioned to write a brief piece celebrating the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth and subito con forza (“suddenly with force”) was the result. Filtering themes and patterns from some of Beethoven’s best-known music through Chin’s dramatic voice, subito con forza honors Beethoven’s genius from a uniquely 21st-century perspective.

Stravinsky's Firebird, Alisa Weilerstein Plays Dvořák

Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts

Stravinsky Firebird, Alisa Weilerstein Plays Dvořák

The Israeli composer Michael Seltenreich, whose latest orchestral work is presented in this concert, grew up in Tel Aviv. Like Lahav Shani, he benefited from an early age from the lively Israeli music scene, whose founding father is considered to be Paul Ben-Haim from Munich. Born as Paul Frankenburger, he left his hometown in 1933 and emigrated to Palestine with the hope of peaceful coexistence between different cultures, religions and ethnic groups. His 1st Symphony was written in the first year of the Second World War and, although the circumstances of the time left their mark on the work, conveys confidence and comfort. In his violin concerto »L'Arbre des songes«, Henri Dutilleux explores the inner interweavings of a dream world. »L'Arbre des songes« is dedicated to the violinist Isaac Stern, the former teacher of Renaud Capuçon. In this work, Dutilleux moves away from conventions, composes in part aleatorically and uses orchestral interludes to counteract the traditional multi-movement structure. The Korean composer Unsuk Chin also questions the way traditions are handled in an ironic and loving way with her short work »subito con forza«, referring to the juxtaposition of symbolic contrasts that is so typical for Beethoven.

Chin Dutilleux Rare Ben-Haim

Lucerne Culture and Congress Centre

Gasteig HP8

A pairing of epic works: Unsuk Chin’s Cello Concerto, one of the most important concertos of the 21st century, and Bruckner’s majestic Seventh Symphony

Aldeburgh Festival: Bruckner & Unsuk Chin

Snape Maltings

This performance honors the 30th anniversary of Sejong Soloists, featuring four former concertmasters of the organization. Juliana Zara performs Unsuk Chin’s beguiling Puzzles and Games, which is drawn from her opera Alice in Wonderland. The program also features the world premiere of Texu Kim’s with/out, written expressly for this concert.

Sejong Here & Now Festival

Carnegie Hall

Beethoven’s Fifth

Paramount Theatre

Sea and stars swirl and coalesce, while works old and new converse with one another.


Ryan Bancroft & Joshua Bell

Davies Symphony Hall

Stop by Orchestra Hall to immerse yourself in an hour of sensational sounds. You will experience Ukrainian folk songs played by a full orchestra in Tchaikovsky’s Second Symphony and be inspired by how composer Unsuk Chin creatively mixes contrasting sounds in subito con forza. Including an onstage reception with musicians, it’s a perfect fit for a casual—but unforgettable—Saturday evening.

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 2

Join the Chicago Sinfonietta for an unforgettable season finale, REVERB, featuring a lineup of works that showcase the power and energy of classical music. 
The evening begins with Chin's Subito con Forza, a  dynamic work that sets the tone for an evening. Then, if you appreciate bold and dynamic orchestral music, you won't want to miss the triumphant Symphony No. 3 by Louise Farrenc, whose brilliance as a composer is finally receiving the recognition it deserves.

Reverb

Roosevelt University

North Central College

During Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s lifetime, many restrictions were in place that banned Ukrainian language and terminology within parts of the Russian empire. Tchaikovsky still chose to compose a symphony built from traditional songs of his neighboring country, a place dear to his heart. We welcome Elim Chan for her Orchestra Hall debut as the Minnesota Orchestra shares this imaginative symphony alongside Unsuk Chin’s swirling subito con forza and the return of soloist Benjamin Beilman in Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s cinematic Violin Concerto.

Tchaikovsky, Korngold and Chin

It is hauntingly beautiful, heartrendingly emotional, and unabashedly romantic. Rachmaninoff wrote of his Second Piano Concerto, “What I try to do when writing down my music is to make it say simply and directly what is in my heart.” Bartók’s dazzling, thrilling, and immensely popular concerto is a virtuosic tour de force for the entire orchestra.

Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto

Severance Music Center

Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3, nicknamed “Eroica” – Heroic – is a large, fascinating listening adventure. The surprises come one after the next: Beethoven developed the opening theme in a way that had never been done before.

The Eroica Symphony

Stockholm City Hall

A 3,500-year-old Chinese mouth organ, three altarpieces from the early 16th century and a mythological firebird, more a magical-divine principle than a real figure: these spherical-archaic ingredients make up a concert program with superb sound appeal. Let's start with the Sheng, this incredibly multifaceted instrument from the Middle Kingdom. The composer Unsuk Chin had long avoided writing music for the Sheng, because folklore or exoticism were not her wavelength. But the art of the Sheng virtuoso Wu Wei changed her mind - and so in 2009 »Šu« for Sheng and orchestra was created, with a solo instrument that stands for the »longing for the distant sound«. The Sheng concert is framed here by powerful timbres of classical modernism, plastic sound images and historical associations, conceived by two masters of orchestral effectiveness who are unrivaled. The woman at the helm of the symphonic apparatus: the Finnish conductor Susanna Mälkki, who sees the almost limitless orchestral repertoire as "a huge treasure trove" - ​​these three works are particularly dazzling gems.

firebird

Angeline Callista Ma, piano

Ryan Center for the Musical Arts

Further Shores: Symphonic Music of Asia and the Asian Diaspora

MassBay Community College

Collaborating with some of the world’s great orchestras, Esprit has co-commissioned Operascope for orchestra by Unsuk Chin and will give the work’s North American Premiere on this program. Operascope traces the history of operatic music – with references to Verdi, Puccini, Messiaen, Berg and Shostakovich. Azrieli Music Prize-winner Rita Ueda’s double concerto, with musicians positioned throughout Koerner Hall, blends Japanese, Chinese and Western influences with the Canadian landscape (especially bird calls) and pursues a new transcultural musical identity by asking what it means to migrate and settle on land already rich in history. Mochizuki’s musical collage intimates deep psychological transformations as described by Carl G. Jung and almost subliminally incorporates an homage to Robert Schumann.

Esprit Orchestra presents Three

The eminent pianist Emanuel Ax performs Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 1 which remains the standard-bearer of Brahms for our times, consistently exhibiting his “big and pliant sonority, stamina, intelligence, poetic feeling and deep musicality.” (Chicago Tribune) Beethoven’s Fourth Symphony channels the impish wit of his onetime teacher Haydn, while Unsuk Chin’s subito con forza riffs on a phrase from Beethoven over the course of five frenetic minutes.

Ax Plays Brahms

Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall

The Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center

The Music Center at Strathmore

Dive into works by some of today’s leading composers. Enjoy Unsuk Chin’s Double Concerto for Piano and Percussion, described by the composer as “music of highly colored bearing and expression, free-flowing and agile, unfolding sometimes in completely unexpected directions.” Plus, discover the New York Premiere of a double concerto co-composed by clarinetist Kinan Azmeh and violinist Layale Chaker, who also perform as soloists.

Sound On

London Sinfonietta celebrates the life of provocatively distinctive composer György Ligeti in his centenary year. Beloved of Stanley Kubrik, Ligeti’s richly avant-garde “micro-polyphony” explores how texture can be a structural device, and creates musical layers that create effects ranging from meditative stillness to cosmic existential terror. Pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard joins the ensemble for this performance, which concludes with the composer’s extraordinary Piano Concerto.

Ligeti 100

Southbank Centre

In his debut with the BBC Symphony Orchestra, Leslie Suganandarajah conducts BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist, the Scottish classical accordionist Ryan Corbett in Václav Trojan’s Fairy Tales in a concert also featuring Unsuk Chin’s brief and colourful subito con forza, and Brahms’ serene Symphony No. 2.

Leslie Suganandarajah conducts music by Chin, Trojan and Brahms

BBC Maida Vale Studios

Chief Conductor Ryan Wigglesworth continues our exploration of Stravinsky’s ballet music with 'Orpheus', and Martin Robertson is the sax soloist Mark-Anthony Turnage's moody, impassioned concerto.

Stravinsky & Turnage

Glasgow City Hall

From Germany, Anja Bihlmaier is Chief Conductor of the Residentie Orkest in The Hague and appears with the Hallé for the first time. Beethoven tops and tails her programme, the Leonora Overture No.3, a compelling symphonic distillation of the human drama of his opera, Fidelio.

Beethoven’s Fourth

Lincoln Cathedral

Sheffield City Hall

Celebrated as a leading American orchestra, the Grammy Award-winning St. Louis Symphony Orchestra is the second-oldest orchestra in the country. This season, SLSO marks its 144th year and its fifth year with Music Director Stéphane Denève. whose energetic musicianship, visionary storytelling, and collaborative spirit have created stronger connections with local and visiting artists, as well as advanced the SLSO’s role as a leader in music education. For this performance, SLSO collaborates with celebrated American pianist Jonathan Biss as he performs Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1.

St. Louis Symphony Orchestra

Krannert Center for the Performing Arts

In Beethoven’s world, you never know what is around each corner: terror or tenderness, joy or sorrow. American pianist Jonathan Biss plays the grand First Piano Concerto, opening a season-long Beethoven concerto cycle. In Beethoven’s Coriolan Overture, a Roman general swings between caring and warmongering. Unsuk Chin’s subito con forza memorializes Beethoven with shock and surprise. Come face-to-face with the drama of Schumann’s Fourth Symphony in the intimacy of Touhill. 

Beethoven’s First Piano Concerto

Today’s Music Concert 2023

Real Collegio

Discover the captivating sounds of contemporary music at Real Collegio! Join us at 12:00 for a groundbreaking concert featuring works by Jörg Widmann, Unsuk Chin, Johnathan Harvey, Sir Harrison Birtwistle, and Brett Dean. Experience the extraordinary talents of Yejin Gil, Adrian Brendel, Joanna MacGregor, and Carter Muller as they bring these innovative compositions to life. Witness the Italian premieres of Birtwistle's enchanting pieces and Dean's poignant "Huntington Eulogy." Don't miss this unique musical journey!

Today’s music Concert

See the conducting stars of tomorrow in these engaging concerts where student conductors rotate between conducting a movement of a work, or playing in the orchestra. Program Director and AMFS Music Director Robert Spano observes the work of his students at this weekly event.

Composer

Unsuk Chin

Events

Upcoming events

18 - 20 Dec, 2025

Klaus Mäkelä & Yunchan Lim · Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Feb 1, 2026

The Hallé & Hallé Youth Orchestra: Side by Side · The Bridgewater Hall

Feb 1, 2026

Side-By-Side: The Hallé and Hallé Youth Orchestra · The Hallé

Feb 5, 2026

The Hallé – Chamber Series: Unsuk Chin · The Bridgewater Hall

Feb 5, 2026

Chamber Series: Unsuk Chin · The Hallé

Past events

18 - 20 Dec, 2025

Klaus Mäkelä & Yunchan Lim · Chicago Symphony Orchestra

14 - 16 Dec, 2025

Symphony Concert N° 4 · Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

About

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