KNUA Symphony Orchestra, School of Music, Scores with the Abu Dhabi Festival 2025

The KNUA Symphony Orchestra, the orchestra of K-Arts under the School of Music, performed at the Abu Dhabi Festival 2025, one of the leading performing arts festivals in the Middle East, held in April.

The Abu Dhabi Festival, a major performing arts event in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), takes place over the course of a month. It is a cultural program that symbolizes the pride of Abu Dhabi, today’s cultural hub in the Gulf region.

During the festival, the KNUA Symphony Orchestra first performed on April 18. Then, on April 20, the orchestra collaborated with conductor Toufic Maatouk, tenor Javier Camarena, and soprano Jessica Pratt.

Prior to joining the festival, the KNUA Symphony Orchestra held a rehearsal concert with conductor Toufic Maatouk and students from the Department of Vocal Music at Lee Kang Sook Hall on March 17. In addition, the orchestra performed for classical fans in Korea at the Lotte Concert Hall at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, April 14, during the 84^th KNUA Symphony Orchestra Subscription Concert.

Emeritus Professor Chung Chi-yong of K-Arts, a recipient of the Austrian Culture Ministry Award, led the orchestra for the festival. In addition, alumni violinist Wee Jaewon (second-prize winner of the George Enescu International Competition 2020-21) and cellist Park Sanghyeok (third-prize winner of the XVII Tchaikovsky International Competition), both prominent figures in the contemporary music scene, joined the stage.

The KNUA Symphony Orchestra, whose members are current students of the Department of Instrumental Music, School of Music, has held subscription concerts annually at major concert halls, such as the Seoul Arts Center, Lotte Concert Hall, and Lee Kang Sook Hall since 1993, when it was founded with the opening of the School of Music. Having been invited to world-renowned music festivals several times, it continues to strengthen the potential of university orchestras of Korea.

The KNUA Symphony Orchestra opened the concert with four short orchestral excerpts from the ballet “Princess Bari,” composed by Lee Geon-yong, who dedicated many years to teaching at K-Arts. Lee wrote the piece in 1998 at the request of the Korea National Ballet. Through the genuine Korean sound played by traditional instruments, the orchestra was able to share a Korean folk tale with its Middle Eastern audience. Subsequently, the orchestra presented Brahms’ “Double Concerto for Violin and Cello,” and concluded the program on a high note with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4.

Dean Lee Kangho of the School of Music stated, “It is a great honor for K-Arts to be invited to the Abu Dhabi Festival – the first time for a school orchestra from Korea. Through this opportunity, we hope to introduce outstanding classical musicians from Korea to a wider audience.”