School of Korean Traditional Arts Partners with Elbphilharmonie Hamburg

On 14 October, the School of Korean Traditional Arts consulted with artistic director Barbara Lebitsch of Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Germany, on the plan to invite performers from Korea in 2026.

Artistic director Lebitsch explained she aimed to make a special interesting performance not limited to the classical genre. In response, Dean Sung Kisook of the School of Korean Traditional Arts suggested an integrative performance in which court music was fused with folk music. Together, Sung suggested performances like group dance, tightrope walking, and so forth.

Lebitsch recalled the Jongmyo Jeryeak (Royal Ancestral Ritual and Music in the Jongmyo Shrine) performance previously held in Elbphilharmonie and stated her planning on borrowing it for artistic programs and activities at Elbphilharmonie Center.

Thus, the School of Korean Traditional Arts and Elbphilharmonie decided to consult on planning performances in a wide range embracing Jongmyo Jeryeak, court music, and folk music.

Elbphilharmonie is the art-cultural facility representing Hamburg, the second-largest city in Germany. Since its opening in 2017, it has been established as a landmark where an average of 3.6 million people visit a year. For the visitors, it presents various art and cultural performances in addition to over 50 orchestra concerts each year.