Han-Na Chang’s Daejeon Grand Music Festival hosted by Daejeon Arts Center
President Deok-Kyu Kim and conductor Han-Na Chang having an online appointment ceremony
Daejeon Arts Center (DJAC) will be hosting Han-Na Chang’s Daejeon Grand Music Festival, a major music celebration featuring young musicians with world-class talent. The event is currently scheduled for 5 – 6 Nov 2024. On 4 Nov, DJAC appointed distinguished conductor Han-Na Chang as the festival’s Artistic Director through an online appointment ceremony (given Chang’s current residence in Hamburg, Germany).
Han-Na Chang is a Korean classical music savant who has built an illustrious career spanning 30 years. She currently serves as Principal Guest Conductor for Symphoniker Hamburg in Germany. DJAC reached out to Chang to organise the inaugural Han-Na Chang’s Daejeon Grand Music Festival.
Maestra Han-Na Chang (Photo credit: Kiran West)
Meeting the Classical Music Stars of Today and Tomorrow
The upcoming music festival will invite talented artists aged 39 and under from Korea and abroad to showcase their world-class musicianship and youthful energy. The festival will feature a unique programme that will allow audience members to experience the beauty of classical music in a variety of ways. In addition to inviting well-established and beloved musicians, DJAC plans to give performance opportunities to new, upcoming talent, emphasising the festival’s special theme of ‘nurturing Han-Na Chang’s successors.’
Newly appointed Artistic Director Chang said, “Through this new Grand Music Festival being held at Daejeon – the city at the center of Korea – people will get a chance to meet the classical music stars of today and tomorrow. Also, 2024 happens to mark the 30th year of my career. Looking back at my journey as a musician, I cannot emphasise enough the importance of having great teachers and mentors. I am thrilled to have the opportunity to share with upcoming musicians the valuable lessons I learned from my mentors and my experiences standing on the world stage. This music festival will be a grand stage where talented artists can convey the joys and emotions of music to a wide audience. I hope that the festival will indeed be a ‘grand’ gathering where everyone can learn to appreciate and enjoy music.”
When asked about the prospect of working with Han-Na Chang, DJAC President Deok-Kyu Kim said, “Everyone at DJAC is excited to be able to collaborate with Han-Na Chang, who became a Korean classical icon even before current stars like Seong-Jin Cho or Yunchan Lim. We will strive to organise a world-class festival with Han-Na Chang that promotes young artists while also becoming a source of pride for the citizens of Daejeon“.