Quartets’ melody at Seoul's hot summer nights

Quartets’ melody at Seoul's hot summer nights. August. 10, 2016 07:05. by 김동욱 기자creating@donga.com. While there are many Korean classical musicians on the global stage, Korean quartets are particularly rare. Notably, two emerging quartets hold a concert in August.

Abel Quartet, the future of a Korean quartet, will have its first regular concert at IBK Chamber Hall of the Seoul Arts Center at 8 p.m. on Friday. The quartet consisting of Yoon Eun-sol (violin), Lee Woo-il (violin), Kim Se-joon (viola), and Cho Hyung-joon (cello) was formed in 2013 when they were studying music in Germany.

The quartet has been drawing attention with global recognitions by winning several awards in Europe: the second place at the International August Everding Competition in 2014, the first place at the International Joseph Hayden Chamber Music Competition in 2015, and the second place at the Lyon International Chamber Music Competition in 2015. It will perform various pieces of classical and romantic period musicians, including Mozart, Ligeti and Schumann, to modern era. It will also have a concert at Kumho Art Hall of the Usquare Culture Center in Gwangju at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday. The ticket price is 30,000 won (27.1 U.S. dollars) to 40,000 won (36.1 dollars).

The Novus Quartet, which released its first international album in May, will have a concert with famous Korean pianist Son Yeol-eum to perform Russian composer Shostakovich at the concert hall of the Seoul Arts Center at 8 p.m. on Aug. 27. Since its foundation in 2007, the quartet has held concerts in Europe. It will release its second album in October.The ticket price is 30,000 won (27.1 U.S. dollars) to 70,000 won (63.2 dollars).