Franz Joseph Haydn, an Austrian composer, who also known as “Father of Symphony” for composing 109 symphonies during his whole life, is now to be congratulated with the 200th anniversary of his death this year. To commemorate his death and devotion on the development of music, diverse international music festivals are held all over the world including his home country, Austria. The Haydn Society Republic of Korea has also celebrated Haydn’s death on March 16.
As part of the wave of commemorating Haydn, the Ewha Music Institute (EMI) is holding 2009 Haydn Festival on May 22 at 1 p.m. at the Music Building. The festival is divided into two sessions; academic seminars will be held at the Korean traditional music performance room from 1 to 5 p.m. and a concert will be held at the Kim Young-ui Hall from 5 to 6 p.m.
The EMI has held both national and international academic seminars on a broad range of topics decided by professors at the EMI for each semester since its establishment in 1997. This semester, Haydn will be the focus of the theme as a tribute to his achievements.
The academic seminars will be led by professors from the School of Music. Professor Kang Young-keun (Korean Music) will announce the start of the festival by giving opening address.
The presenters for the seminars are carefully selected after holding public screening of theses under the theme of Haydn. The presentations will discuss the historical transition of Haydn’s musical reception, Haydn’s life as an opera composer, and in-depth analysis on his symphonies. “The seminar and question period will be conducted by the professors at Ewha who are known to be experts on Haydn,” said Professor Park Shin-hwa (Voice), who is the head of the EMI.
The orchestra and professors from the School of Music are playing Haydn’s most energetic and famous melodies. The music pieces were selected by the professors majoring in Orchestral Instruments in consideration of the season during which the festival will be held. The music is going to be played by music majors under the baton of Professor Sung Ki-sun (Orchestral Instruments).
According to Koh Eun-mee who is a staff member of the EMI, holding both the academic seminars and recital together intends to link music theories in the time of Haydn’s with performances.
Along with Ewha’s Haydn Festival, Haydn’s work is going to be spread out all over the world. With supports from the International Haydn Foundation Eisenstadt, 12 countries including South Korea are going to hold relay recital for 24 hours on May 31, the day of Haydn’s death.
Countries will play The Creation, an oratorio written by Haydn, which is considered one of his great masterpieces. The Creation will also be performed in Seoul at the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on May 31.
According to Park, the EMI is looking forward to renewing his dedication through the 2009 Haydn Festival and encouraging further studies on him. “Compared to other composers like Johann Sebastian Bach and Ludwig van Beethoven, recitals or researches on Haydn were so rare that people had less access to comprehensive understanding. The festival would give lots of opportunities to get closer to him,” said Park.
Jung, Hey-jie
aveckasia@ewhain.net