Experience the Power of 20th Century Russian Music: Masterpieces by Shostakovich and Prokofiev in Seoul

Translation resultHahm Shin-ik and his private orchestra, Symphony Song, will present two consecutive programs in the 2026 Masters Series that explore internal tension, mortality and consolation. The orchestra will perform a program of 20th‑century Russian works on May 30 and mount Verdi’s monumental Requiem on June 16.Masters Series III opens May 30 at Seoul’s Lotte Concert Hall. The program pairs Shostakovich’s Festive Overture and Symphony No. 5 with Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 2, featuring pianist Kim Kyu‑yeon as soloist. The evening highlights the tension and contrasting textures that define much of 20th‑century Russian music: Shostakovich’s overture launches the concert with bright, flamboyant energy; Prokofiev’s Second Piano Concerto demands explosive technique and dramatic shifts of feeling; and the second half’s Symphony No. 5, written in 1937 under the Soviet regime, preserves classical form while conveying a charged, tragic intensity. The Third Movement’s deep lyricism and the Fourth Movement’s forceful conclusion continue to invite varied readings.“I assembled works from the same era that speak in different musical languages and emotional registers,” Hahm said, “so audiences can move through a wide spectrum of feeling.” Pianist Kim Kyu‑yeon reunites with Hahm and Symphony Song after their collaboration last year.Masters Series IV takes place June 16 at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall with Verdi’s Requiem. Co‑produced with the Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs, the concert commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Korean War and the 70th Memorial Day. Though cast in the form of sacred music, Verdi’s Requiem is operatic in scope: thunderous choruses and orchestral surges—most notably the “Dies Irae”—alternate with delicate arias to dramatize fear of death and the longing for salvation.Soloists for the performance are soprano O Mi‑sun, mezzo‑soprano Kim Sun‑jung, tenor Kim Dong‑won and bass‑baritone Samuel Yoon, joined by the Bucheon and Incheon municipal choirs. Organizers plan to invite domestic and international veterans, their families and diplomatic guests to frame the performance as an occasion of remembrance, peace and solidarity.“Verdi’s Requiem is among the most dramatic and operatic of the repertoire’s requiems,” Hahm said. “It contains an urgent, pleading appeal for mercy. You can expect the energy that comes from Symphony Song’s young, passionate players combined with outstanding soloists and choirs.”Founded in 2014, Hahm Shin‑ik and Symphony Song have become one of South Korea’s leading private orchestras. Hahm has extended his reach through collaborations with orchestras across the United States, Europe, South America and Asia, while Symphony Song continues to broaden the possibilities for private ensembles through imaginative programming and varied performances.