Lio Kuokman, Yekwon Sunwoo & Hong Kong Philharmonic

/ All Programme / Lio Kuokman, Yekwon Sunwoo & Hong Kong Philharmonic

Lio Kuokman, Yekwon Sunwoo & Hong Kong Philharmonic

/ All Programme / Lio Kuokman, Yekwon Sunwoo & Hong Kong Philharmonic

Date & Time

2025.10.19 (Sun)
5pm

Approx. 110 minutes
With a 20-minutes intermission

Venue

Concert Hall, Seoul Arts Center

Price

₩ 200,000 / 160,000 / 110,000 / 80,000 / 50,000

Ticketing

Tickets available at Seoul Arts Center website from 8 August.

Programme
Overview
Arts Group
Introduction
Cast & Key Artistic
Personnel
Fringe Activity

MUSIC

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) shares the stage with Korean pianist Yekwon Sunwoo, Gold Medalist at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Under the baton of HK Phil’s Resident Conductor Lio Kuokman, the programme features Subito con Forza, a Beethoven-inspired, energetic piece by renowned Korean composer Unsuk Chin; and a new work by Hong Kong composer Charles Kwong, showcasing the vitality of Hong Kong contemporary music. The concert concludes with Tchaikovsky’s beloved First Piano Concerto and his Fifth Symphony—a powerful work revealing the composer’s struggle against fate, leaving a strong aftertaste. This thoughtfully curated programme pairs contemporary works from Hong Kong and Korea with Romantic masterpieces, offering the audience a rich musical experience.

Programme:

1. Subito con Forza – Unsuk CHIN
2. Festina lente (HK Phil Commission) – Charles KWONG
3. Piano Concerto no. 1 – TCHAIKOVSKY
4. Symphony no. 5 – TCHAIKOVSKY

Co-presented by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China and the Seoul Arts Center

Masterclass
Details coming soon.

The Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil) is regarded as one of the leading orchestras in Asia. Presenting more than 150 concerts over a 44-week season, the HK Phil attracts more than 200 000 music lovers annually. Tarmo Peltokoski will become the HK Phil’s Music Director beginning in the 2026/27 season, after serving as Music Director Designate in 2025/26. Currently, Long Yu serves as Principal Guest Conductor, Lio Kuokman is Resident Conductor. In 2019, the HK Phil won the prestigious Gramophone “Orchestra of the Year Award” – the first orchestra in Asia to receive this accolade from the UK classical music magazine.

Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra is financially supported by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra

https://www.hkphil.org

Lio Kuokman, JP (Conductor)

Currently Resident Conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HK Phil), Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Macao Orchestra, Programme Director of the Macao International Music Festival, Chief Conductor of the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra and Artistic Partner of the Kansai Philharmonic Orchestra, Lio is praised by the Philadelphia Inquirer as “a startling conducting talent”. He was the second prize winner of the third Svetlanov International Conducting Competition in Paris with Audience Prize and Orchestra Prize, and he has served as the first Chinese Assistant Conductor with the Philadelphia Orchestra.

He has successfully collaborated with many leading orchestras across the globe. Recently he was invited as the first Chinese conductor to conduct subscription concert with the Vienna Symphony, and he also received an invitation by the French government to lead the first Saudi Arabia performance tour with Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse.

Yekwon Sunwoo (Pianist)

“His playing was clean, energetic, and ecstatic.” – The New York Times
“Overwhelmed the audience with technical brilliance and artistic sensitivity.” – The Washington Post

Yekwon Sunwoo, the gold medalist of the 15th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, was the first Korean to achieve this honour in 2017. He also stunned the music world by becoming the first Korean to win first prizes at the 2015 International German Piano Award and the 2014 Vendome Prize held at the Verbier Festival. He now holds the record for the most number of first-place wins by a Korean pianist, in a total of eight international competitions, including the 2013 Sendai International Music Competition and the 2012 William Kapell International Piano Competition.

He has performed as a soloist with prestigious orchestras including the Washington Chamber Orchestra, Royal Danish Orchestra, Danish Radio Orchestra, Munich Philharmonic, Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Montreal Symphony Orchestra, among others.

As a prominent Korean pianist, he was recently appointed as an ambassador for the 2024 Gangwon Winter Youth Olympic Games and for the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Germany.

HKW

Lio Kuokman, Yekwon Sunwoo & Hong Kong Philharmonic