Sejong Soloists with Gil Shaham & Adele Anthony < A Time to Mourn and a Time to Dance>

2025. 8. 26 (TUE) 7:30 PM｜Seoul Arts Center, Concert Hall

Violin icon Gil Shaham and Adele Anthony join Sejong Soloists to perform Bach’s timeless Concerto for Two Violins, alongside the Asian premiere of Avner Dorman’sConcerto for Two Violins: A Time to Mourn and a Time to Dance.

This thoughtfully curated program bridges baroque elegance and modern passion, celebrating virtuosity, collaboration, and the enduring power of music.

Presented by Bulgari Korea

 
■  PROGRAM

Vivaldi - Trio Sonata in d minor, Op. 1, No. 12 (Variations on “La Follia”)

J. S. Bach - Concerto for Two Violins in d minor, BWV 1043

David Diamond - Rounds

Intermission

Avner Dorman - A Time to Mourn and a Time to Dance, Concerto for Two Violins and Strings *Asian premiere, Co-Commissioned by Sejong Soloists

 
*The program is subject to change.
 *Sejong Soloists co-commission of A Time to Mourn and a Time to Dance is generously underwritten by Jin Young Lee Kim.

 
■  ARTISTS

Gil Shaham violin
 Gil Shaham is one of the foremost violinists of our time; his flawless technique combined with his inimitable warmth and generosity of spirit has solidified his renown as an American master. He is sought after throughout the world for concerto appearances with leading orchestras and conductors, and regularly gives recitals and appears with ensembles on the world’s great concert stages and at the most prestigious festivals.

Highlights of recent years include a recording and performances of J.S. Bach’s complete sonatas and partitas for solo violin and recitals with his long-time duo partner, pianist Akira Eguchi. He regularly appears with the Berlin Philharmonic, Boston, Chicago, and San Francisco Symphonies, the Israel Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, and in multi-year residencies with the Orchestras of Montreal, Stuttgart and Singapore. 
Mr. Shaham has more than two dozen concerto and solo CDs to his name, earning multiple GRAMMYs, a Grand Prix du Disque, Diapason d’Or, and Gramophone Editor’s Choice. Many of these recordings appear on Canary Classics, the label he founded in 2004. His 2016 recording 1930s Violin Concertos Vol. 2 and his 2021 recording of Beethoven and Brahms Concertos with The Knights were nominated for GRAMMY Awards. 

Gil Shaham was awarded an Avery Fisher Career Grant in 1990, and in 2008 he received the coveted Avery Fisher Prize. In 2012, he was named “Instrumentalist of the Year” by Musical America. He plays the 1699 “Countess Polignac” Stradivarius and performs on an Antonio Stradivari violin, Cremona c1719, with the assistance of Rare Violins In Consortium, Artists and Benefactors Collaborative. 

Opus 3 Artists is the exclusive representative of Gil Shaham.

Adele Anthony violin

Since her triumph at Denmark’s 1996 Carl Nielsen International Violin Competition, Adele Anthony has enjoyed an acclaimed and expanding international career. Performing as a soloist with orchestra and in recital, as well as being active in chamber music, Ms. Anthony’s career spans the continents of North America, Europe, Australia, India and Asia.

In addition to appearances with all six symphonies of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Ms. Anthony’s highlights from recent seasons have included performances with the symphony orchestras of Houston, San Diego, Seattle, Ft. Worth, and Indianapolis, as well as the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France. Being an avid chamber music player, Ms. Anthony appears regularly at La Jolla SummerFest and Aspen Music Festival. Her wide-ranging repertoire extends from the Baroque of Bach and Vivaldi to contemporary works of Ross Edwards, Arvo Pärt and Phillip Glass.

An active recording artist, Ms. Anthony’s work includes releases with Sejong Soloists and Eric Ewazen, Concerto for Violin and String Orchestra (Albany); a recording of the Philip Glass Violin Concerto with Takuo Yuasa and the Ulster Orchestra (Naxos); Arvo Pärt’s ‘Tabula rasa’ with Gil Shaham, Neeme Järvi and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra (Deutsche Grammophon); and her latest recording of the Sibelius Violin Concerto and Ross Edwards “Maninyas” with the Adelaide Symphony Orchestra (Canary Classics/ABC Classics).

Adele Anthony performs on an Antonio Stradivarius violin, crafted in 1728. Opus 3 Artists is the exclusive representative of Adele Anthony.

Sejong Soloists

Hailed by CNN as “one of the top ensembles of today,” Sejong Soloists is a New York City-based chamber orchestra celebrated for its artistic excellence, innovative programming, and promotion of new works. Founded in 1994 by Juilliard professor Hyo Kang, the ensemble began when Kang invited 11 prize-winning young artists from eight countries. Sejong quickly gained acclaim with its inaugural performance at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center and its appointment as ensemble-in-residence at the Aspen Music Festival.

Since its inception, Sejong Soloists has performed over 700 concerts in 120 cities worldwide, including repeated appearances at Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, Wigmore Hall, Seoul Arts Center, Suntory Hall, and major European venues. At Carnegie Hall alone, they have performed 20 times. Engagements at world events include performances at the 2002 FIFA Congress for the World Cup, the 2004 Olympic Torch Ceremony at the United Nations, and serving as honorary ambassador for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Games.

Renowned for its cohesiveness and versatility, Sejong Soloists commissioned and premiered 16 works. Collaborations with artists like Gil Shaham, Vadim Repin, Ian Bostridge, and Joyce DiDonato have been a hallmark of its programming. In partnership with MIT Media Lab, Sejong commissioned and premiered Tod Machover’s Overstory Overture (2023) and Flow Symphony (2024). Embracing innovation, Sejong presented the first live classical performance in the metaverse in 2021 and launched the NFT Classics Society with AI Network in 2022.

Committed to nurturing future leaders, Sejong members and alumni hold concertmaster positions at the New York Philharmonic, the Metropolitan Opera, the Montreal Symphony, the Hamburg Philharmonic, and faculty positions at Juilliard and Yale.

To celebrate its 30th anniversary in 2024, Sejong presented a festival at Carnegie Hall featuring premieres by Augusta Read Thomas, Unsuk Chin, and Texu Kim. Sejong continues to present its annual Hic et Nunc! festival in Seoul.