With the pleasant autumn weather in Korea now,... a number of cultural events are lined up.
And one of them is Suncheonman International Orchestra Festival,... where visitors can get the best of both worlds beautiful scenery with the backdrop of beautiful classical music.
Our Lee Min-sun takes us to the opening concert. The 2019 Suncheonman International Orchestra Festival kicked off on Wednesday night in Sucheon Bay in South Korea's Jellanam-do Province.
Now in its fourth year, the festival presents a series of classical music performances by some 400 musicians and five orchestras from around the world.
The opening concert was presented by South Korean Maestro Chung Myung-whun and pianist Lim Dong-hyek playing globally-loved pieces by Tchaikovsky and Beethoven.
"It's a beautiful park and wonderful setting that opens possibility for classical musicians to play for a wider audience… And so we are basically messengers of music so we are very happy that we are able to specially play for people who would normally not be able to go to concerts."
Local residents and visitors from across the country filled up the some 3,000 seats,... most of which were laid on free of charge.
"To make the festival appealing to those unfamiliar with classical music, the performances include well-known tunes that have appeared in movies and on TV. The concerts are held in an outdoor garden surrounded by flowers, trees and water."
The Suncheon Bay National Garden, where the stage has been set up for the concerts, is one of the five biggest wetlands in the world and is a popular tourist destination in South Korea, especially during the autumn season.
The garden is one-point-one million square kilometers in size and contains various kinds of plants and trees arranged in unique garden styles from different countries.
"Classical music festivals held in other cities are for classical music lovers. Classical music is typically considered difficult to access. So we made our program easier to enjoy without having any background knowledge. The concerts are also performed on an outdoor stage so it's easier to access than those held at a formal concert hall."
The six-day festival will present five performances in a big to make classical music a pleasant addition to people's daily lives.
Lee Min-sun Arirang News, Suncheon.
