Kim, winner of the 2023 Queen Elisabeth Competition, is first vocalist for Kumho's residence program
Kumho Art Hall has announced the 2026 lineup for its flagship Beautiful Thursday concert series, a year-round program of Thursday evening recitals that mixes rising talents with internationally celebrated masters.
This season, the spotlight falls on 24-year-old baritone Kim Tae-han. Kim is the first vocalist to be named the hall's artist-in-residence since the program began in 2013. The 2023 winner of the Queen Elisabeth Competition is curating a four-part arc titled “Persona,” tracing the many masks of operatic and song performances: a New Year’s gala of arias on Jan. 8, an opera gala of relationships on April 23, a French melody program on love on July 2, and Schubert’s “Winterreise” on Oct. 15.
Since 2013, the art hall, operated by the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation, has selected a classical musician under the age of 30 as its artist-in-residence, providing the musician with a regular performance stage. Last year, Arete Quartet became the residency program's first ensemble-in-residence.
Alongside the residency, the season draws a wide map of themes and formats. "Kumho Exclusive" features Dutch fortepianist Ronald Brautigam on May 28 for a Classical-era repertoire on a period instrument. In "International Masters," pianist Paul Lewis will bring back "the Mozart+ series," which explores the multifaceted world of Mozart’s music while tracing its connections to other composers such as Poulenc, Debussy and Chopin, on Oct. 21-22 and Stephen Hough on Nov. 19.
“The Great Composer” sets intimate encounters with Bach, featuring violinist Han Soo-jin on Sept. 10; Beethoven, with pianist Kim Tae-hyung on Sept. 7; Schubert, presented by pianist Mun Ji-yeong on Nov. 12; and a violin-cello duo performance by Yoo Day-oon and Jung Woo-chan on March12.
Two new strands showcase future stars through complete sonata cycles. "Young Odyssey: Beethoven" in July will see five young violinists performing 10 Beethoven violin sonatas. Meanwhile, "Young Odyssey: Mozart" will have five young pianists covering all 18 Mozart piano sonatas.
The long-running "Kumho Rising Star" platform spotlights clarinetist Park Sang-jin on Feb. 12, double bassist Ryu Si-heon on Feb. 26, violist Lee Hae-soo on March 26 and pianist Heesuk Elias Ackley on Jun. 18.
A new Brahms-focused thread, “Johannes,” brings pianist Yoon Hong-chun to the stage on April 16, violist Lee Han-na with pianist Kim Da-sol Kim on Jun. 4, and a trio of Kim Jae-young, Mun Tae-guk and Park Jae-hong on Nov. 26.
Special programming includes a recital by cellist Lee Jae-ri, the 2025 Isang Yun Competition Seong-Yawng Park Special Prize winner, awarded to a promising Korean musician.
gypark@heraldcorp.com
