The Inaugural Han-Na Chang’s Daejeon Grand Festival
Daejeon Grand Festival
The Daejeon Arts Center is proud to present the inaugural Han-Na Chang’s Daejeon Grand Festival, which will take place from 6 – 10 November. As the name suggests, we are honoured to have the internationally acclaimed conductor and classical music star Han-Na Chang, who is celebrating her 30th year of excellence on the global stage, as the festival’s artistic director. In this role, she will mentor young artists and musicians, guiding them to discover and harness their potential so that they too can make a significant impact on the classical music scene. Alongside the wondrous performances by talented musicians, the festival will also feature a diverse array of programmes designed to encourage active participation from the citizens of Daejeon.
Han-Na Chang (Photo credit: Ole Wuttudal)
The theme of this year’s festival, Be Yourself! echoes Han-Na Chang’s message to emerging classical musicians. People in their 20s and 30s — not just musicians but all young individuals — face a pivotal period in their lives that will define who they are as a person. To resonate with this journey, the festival’s programming will be designed so that our world-class musicians can express themselves to the fullest. On stage, the performers will not only showcase the deep and captivating world of classical music, but they will also be able to illustrate themselves – their individuality and identity – to the audience.
The festival will open and close with performances by our city’s most prominent youth musicians in the Daejeon Art Philharmonic Orchestra, and they will be helmed by Han-Na Chang herself wielding the conductor’s baton. During the opening concert on 6 November, the orchestra will collaborate with violinist Gyehee Kim, winner of the 17th International Tchaikovsky Competition. The finale will feature cellist Hayoung Choi, winner of the 2022 Queen Elisabeth Competition, performing alongside the orchestra.
The festival will also feature a variety of performances, including a recital by the Esme Quartet, a solo cello recital by cellist Zlatomir Fung, a duo recital featuring soprano Hera Hyesang Park and bass Stephano Park, and a crossover performance blending traditional Korean music and classical music by Cellogayageum. Nine performances are scheduled throughout the five-day schedule (which is divided into morning, evening, and late-night sessions), so audience members will have abundant opportunities to immerse themselves in the rich sounds of classical music.
We will also prepare other events for the festival, such as free master classes for music students (cello and classical vocal music), open rehearsals, and community participation events (participants for these events will be recruited on a later date). For additional details on the programme, please visit the Daejeon Arts Center website. https://daejeon.go.kr/djac