On June 15, the Ulsan Philharmonic Orchestra was invited to perform at the "Music Festival" held at Hwarang Hall of Gyeongju Arts Center at 5 PM, organized for the successful hosting of the 2025 Gyeongju APEC Summit.
This concert was jointly planned by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Gyeongsangbuk-do Province to ensure the successful holding of the 33rd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, which will take place in Gyeongju this November.
Under the baton of Sasha Goetzel, the Artistic Director of the Ulsan Philharmonic Orchestra, and featuring the world-renowned soprano Sumi Jo, the performance included Johann Strauss's "Where the Lemon Trees Blossom" (Waltz Op. 364), Franz Lehár's "Vilja Song" from The Merry Widow (Op. 38), and "When I Play a Simple Country Girl" from the overture to the operetta Die Fledermaus. Sumi Jo's passionate performance with her ethereal voice received thunderous applause. The selected pieces were meaningful, offering a light and diverse repertoire suitable for a festival.
An official from the Ulsan Metropolitan Arts Company stated, "Being invited to this large-scale festival and delivering a high-quality performance will not only contribute to enhancing the Ulsan Philharmonic Orchestra's status and image but also instill a sense of pride in our citizens. There is great anticipation for this wonderful performance, as it marks the first reunion in 10 years between the Ulsan Philharmonic Orchestra and the world-renowned soprano Sumi Jo, who last performed together at Carnegie Hall and the UN Headquarters in 2015."
Ulsan Philharmonic Orchestra: The Opening of the Sasha Goetzel Era and a New Leap Forward
The Ulsan Philharmonic Orchestra (hereinafter referred to as the UPO) is entering an era of new growth with a new conductor, having celebrated its 30th anniversary. With the appointment of the world-renowned Austrian maestro Sasha Goetzel as its 10th Artistic Director and Principal Conductor, the UPO has laid the groundwork to grow into an orchestra that garners attention not only locally but also from the domestic and international music scene.
The UPO was re-established in 1990, originating from a private orchestra formed by Ulsan-based musicians. It has grown under the batons of talented conductors, starting with the first Principal Conductor Han Byung-ham, followed by Shin Hyeon-seok, Kang Soo-il, Park Sung-wan, Yu Jong, Jang Yoon-sung, Lee Dae-wook, Kim Hong-jae, and Nikolay Alexeev. With the Ulsan Culture & Arts Center Grand Performance Hall as its main venue, the orchestra has consistently held regular concerts, expanding cultural opportunities for citizens and contributing to the development of local arts. Furthermore, it has gained international experience through overseas tours in countries such as the United States, Canada, the Czech Republic, and Austria, thereby enhancing Ulsan's standing.
The UPO has broadened its audience by presenting a diverse range of performances, primarily focusing on traditional classical repertoire. It has offered rich musical experiences through symphony series by masters such as Beethoven, Brahms, and Tchaikovsky, as well as opera gala concerts and collaborative stages. Particularly recently, with conductor Sasha Goetzel, the orchestra has been expanding its musical spectrum by exploring challenging repertoires that span classical and contemporary, Eastern and Western influences. Sasha Goetzel's inaugural concert in March, under the theme of "Dreams and Fantasies," delivered a dramatic performance that received an enthusiastic response from the audience. The upcoming 243rd regular concert, "Contemplation of Life and Death," scheduled for June 20, will feature Richard Strauss's Metamorphosen and Brahms's A German Requiem, attempting a deep musical contemplation on human existence. This highlights the UPO's effort to convey profound artistic messages beyond simple performances.
In January 2025, Sasha Goetzel was appointed the 10th Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the UPO. Born in Vienna, Austria, he previously served as the Artistic Director of the Istanbul Philharmonic for 12 years, elevating the orchestra to a world-class level, and currently serves as the Music Director of the Orchestre National des Pays de la Loire in France. He has guest-conducted numerous leading orchestras worldwide, including the Münchner Symphoniker, the Israel Philharmonic, and the London Philharmonic, building an international reputation.
Sasha Goetzel is highly regarded as a conductor with "charming persuasiveness, outstanding musicality, and dedication to music," excelling in operatic and dramatic interpretations rooted in the Viennese tradition. His conducting is known for maximizing the potential of individual orchestra members and building strong bridges of communication among musicians, audiences, and administrative teams. Through his collaboration with the UPO, he emphasized that "music has a universal power to inspire, connect people, and bring about change," expressing his ambition to create powerful and moving stages with the UPO that connect the past and future and harmonize Eastern and Western cultures.
Under Sasha Goetzel's leadership, the UPO is expanding its repertoire and enhancing its musical completeness. His rich experience and creative vision are expected to play a crucial role in enabling the UPO to communicate more closely with the local community and establish itself as an orchestra that garners attention both domestically and internationally. The partnership between the UPO and Sasha Goetzel shows the potential to forge a new pillar in the history of Korean orchestras.
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