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World-Renowned Masters Gather in Busan: Busan Concert Hall Signals a Leap Toward a Cultural City with Its 2026 Season

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□ Classic Busan of Busan Metropolitan City announced that it is unveiling the “2026 Curated Performance Lineup” of the Busan Concert Hall.

□ After opening last June as Busan’s first concert hall dedicated exclusively to classical music, the Busan Concert Hall welcomed 120,000 visitors and will present a wide range of performances again this year (2026).

□ First, the Busan Concert Hall 1st Anniversary Festival will run from July 3 to 8.
○ During the festival, the Asia Philharmonic Orchestra (APO), conducted by Artistic Director Chung Myung-whun, will be in residence and present the essence of the classical repertoire, including Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 “Choral,” and Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9 “From the New World.”

• ●Asia Philharmonic Orchestra (APO): An orchestra formed by inviting Asian musicians currently active in leading orchestras around the world.

○ In addition to performances, a program tentatively titled “Maestro’s Room” will feature an open rehearsal led by Artistic Director Chung Myung-whun together with local music students.

□ The World Star Series, featuring performances by world-renowned masters, will open with violinist Yang Inmo, winner of the Paganini and Sibelius competitions, together with the Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra (March 14), followed by the Trio Owon Recital (April 10) by cellist Yang Sung-won, who has been active on the international stage.
○ In particular, the recital by pianist Lim Yunchan (May 9), the youngest-ever winner of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, and pianist Cho Seong-jin—who also participated in last year’s Busan Concert Hall opening festival—will return to the Busan Concert Hall with the Berlin Chamber Orchestra (July 15).
○ The series will continue with Lucerne Festival Strings led by the legendary pianist Rudolf Buchbinder (September 19) and the Orchestre National de Metz performance (September 20) commemorating the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France.

□ The Chamber & Duo Series will meet audiences with chamber music created by Korean musicians active on the world stage and their international partners. Performances will include the Kang Clara-jumi & Kim Sunwook Duo Recital (May 29) and the Kim Yubeen & Richard Iga Duo Recital (August 20).

□ The Opera Series will present the outdoor opera Carmen free of charge for all seats over two days from July 11 at the landmark site in North Port, followed by Verdi’s Otello as a concert opera beginning October 10, raising anticipation for the Busan Opera House, scheduled to open in 2027.

□ To broaden the audience base, a KRW 1,000 classical concert for beginners—Early Spring Concert with Gum Nan-se (February 22)—is expected to draw attention. In addition, narrated performances will continue with the 2026 Opera Gala Concert featuring Classic Busan’s season ensemble (March 19) and the Classical Concert by “the dancing conductor” Baek Yoon-hak (June 27).
○ Hello Series, Classic Busan’s signature educational program for classical newcomers, drew about 10,000 audience members last season and gained strong popularity. This year as well, it will offer opportunities to experience classical music more closely through performances across diverse genres.

• ●Genres: classical, opera, organ, ballet

□ Ticket reservations for first-half performances—Yang Inmo & Salzburg Mozarteum Orchestra (March 14), 2026 Opera Gala Concert (March 19), Trio Owon Recital (April 10), and Kang Clara-jumi & Kim Sunwook Duo Recital (May 29)—will be available through the Classic Busan website (classicbusan.busan.go.kr). Advance booking for paid members will open on February 11, and general booking will open on February 12.

□ Park Min-jung, CEO of Classic Busan, said, “To mark our first anniversary, we have prepared a comprehensive season encompassing a festival with Artistic Director Chung Myung-whun and APO, performances by world-class artists such as Lim Yunchan and Cho Seong-jin, self-produced opera, educational programs, and outdoor performances.” She added, “With this curated lineup as a catalyst, we expect the concert hall to establish itself as a platform leading the city’s cultural capacity and to become a turning point for Busan’s rise as a global cultural city.”