TROMP Runner-up Percussionist Kong Seong-yeon to Present Solo Recital at Seoul Arts Center

Percussionist Kong Seong-yeon, the first Korean artist to achieve runner-up at the Tromp International Percussion Competition, will present her debut solo recital, My Beautiful Chaos, this spring.

The performance will take place at 7:30 p.m. on March 10 at the Industrial Bank of Korea Chamber Hall of the Seoul Arts Center. Kong will unveil her distinctive musical world, shaped by artistic depth and technical mastery which has already drawn international recognition.

Held in the Netherlands, the Tromp International Percussion Competition is considered one of the world’s leading percussion contests, serving as a pivotal launching pad for outstanding percussionists. Winning a prize at Tromp is widely regarded as a mark of artistry and excellence on the global stage.

Kong’s recital will offer a seamless musical journey, transitioning from the classical precision of J. S. Bach to the energy and imagination of contemporary music. The program begins with Bach’s Violin Partita No. 2 in D Minor, BWV 1004, followed by David Dramm and Martin Fondse’s Box Office and Ben Wallund’s Google—vibrant works capturing the dynamic spirit of today’s music.

Rather than presenting each piece in isolation, Kong envisions a continuous interplay of musical languages and moods, connecting tradition and innovation. True to the recital’s title, My Beautiful Chaos, her performance will illuminate a clear path through complexity, inviting the audience into her expressive world through sound alone.

Kong began her musical journey at the Korea National Institute for the Gifted in Arts (KNIGA) before continuing her studies at Yewon School and Seoul Arts High School. Recognized early as an art prodigy, she enrolled at K-Arts while still in her first year of high school. At K-Arts, she studied under professors Park Kwangseo, Kim Eunjeong, and Kim Eunhye. After graduating from Seoul Arts High School with top honors, she completed her bachelor's degree at K-Arts and moved to Stuttgart, Germany, where she studies with percussionists Marta Klimasara and Klaus Sebastian Dreher while continuing to expand her artistic reach internationally.