Beautiful melody, happy summer!

Songpa-gu will provide residents with a pleasant escape from the hot tropical nights through the ‘Happy Summer Time Concert’. The concert, which will feature free, high-quality performances of jazz, tango, and vocal music, will be held at Lotte Concert Hall on August 10 at 5 PM.

[Korean Today] Songpa-gu, Happy Summertime Concert © Reporter Seung-ju Ji

Songpa-gu aims to present residents with the melodies of a beautiful midsummer night, centered around the district head Seo Kang-seok, to relieve the fatigue of tropical nights that have lasted for more than 15 days. The ‘Happy Summertime Concert’ will present a variety of music performances, including jazz, tango, and vocal music, for free at Lotte Concert Hall at 5 PM on August 10.

Songpa-gu has been planning various ‘Cultural Performance Planning Series’ with the Songpa Cultural Foundation since last year in accordance with the regional ideology that all residents should be able to access high-quality cultural and artistic performances in their daily lives. This year’s concert follows the ‘2024 Songpa New Year’s Concert’ in February and the ‘Pinkfong Classic Country’ in May.

This concert will feature performances by Korea’s top musicians. Part 1 will feature lively and authentic jazz music by the Brandon Quartet and the Ko Sang-ji Trio, centering on the difficult-to-play instrument, the bandoneon. Part 2 will feature a magnificent musical and opera performance by soprano Lim Sun-hye and her friends.

Brandon Choi, a renowned saxophonist who graduated from the top performer program at Lyon Municipal Conservatory in France and was the first Korean saxophonist to perform at Lincoln Center in the United States, leads the Brandon Quartet. The quartet consisting of saxophone, bass, drums, and piano will present the essence of exciting and rhythmic jazz music, including collaborations with captivating jazz vocalists.

The Sangji Trio, led by Korea’s best bandoneon player Sangji Ko, will present a fantastic tango performance. This rare opportunity to experience bandoneon music will be captivating the eyes and ears of the audience with a passionate tango routine by a professional dancer duo.

The concert will conclude with a performance by soprano Lim Sun-hye and a cello and piano team. Lim Sun-hye, known worldwide as one of the greatest prima donnas in the classical music world, will present famous musicals and operas by American composers Bernstein and Gershwin, including “Summertime,” which is the motif of the concert’s title.

Due to its popularity, online tickets for this concert have sold out early. Ticket holders can be assigned seats on a first-come, first-served basis on-site, and if there is a ‘no-show’ 10 minutes before the performance, admission to the venue is possible. Anyone over the age of 8 can participate in this concert, and there is no separate break. For more information, please visit the official website of Songpa Cultural Foundation.

Seoul Mayor Seo Kang-seok expressed his anticipation for the performance, saying, “I hope that you can forget the midsummer heat for a while and enjoy a healing time while listening to various genres of music.” He added, “We will continue to do our best to present even higher quality and richer cultural performances to residents who are thirsty for culture and arts.”

※ Songpa Cultural Foundation Official Website: https://www.songpafac.or.kr/