Program

Weber Der Freischütz Overture

Schumann Piano Concerto

Dvořák Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”

About the Conductor

Myung-Whun Chung

Myung-Whun Chung’s long and outstanding musical career is marked by his recent appointment as Music Director Designate of Teatro alla Scala (from 2027). He is the inaugural Direttore Emeritus at Filarmonica della Scala in Milano; the inaugural Principal Guest Conductor of Dresden Staatskapelle; Honorary Music Director at Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra and Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France in Paris. Maestro Chung is also the Artistic Director at the new Busan Opera and Concert Hall in South Korea which hosted its grand opening Festival in June 2025.

Maestro's 2025/26 season includes extensive international touring with Filarmonica della Scala, Tokyo Philharmonic and Dresden Staatskapelle, Verdi's Requiem with Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia as well as symphonic weeks with his titled orchestras. As Music Director Designate of La Scala, he conducts Bizet's Carmen, as well as reuniting once again with the Filarmonica for a symphonic programme including play-directing Beethoven's Triple Concerto and Brahms' Symphony no. 4.

Maestro Chung held titles as Music Director at the Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra, Principal Guest Conductor of Teatro Comunale of Florence, Principal Conductor of the Orchestra of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome and Music Director of the Opéra de Paris-Bastille.

About the Pianist

Yunchan Lim

Since becoming the youngest person to ever win gold at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition at the age of 18 in 2022, Yunchan Lim’s ascent to international stardom has been meteoric. His performances showcase a “magical ability” and a “natural, instinctive quality” (La Scena) that astounds listeners around the world, bringing “profound musicality and prodigious technique organically together” (Marin Alsop).

In the years following his Cliburn win, Yunchan made successful orchestral debuts with the New York, Los Angeles, Munich, and Seoul Philharmonic orchestras, as well as Chicago, Lucerne, BBC, Boston Symphony orchestras, Radio France and Orchestre de Paris-Philharmonie among others. Recital appearances included performances at Carnegie Hall, Verbier Festival, the Wigmore Hall, Het Concertgebouw, and Suntory Hall. Yunchan regularly works with conductors such as Alsop, Chung, Dutoit, Dudamel, Gaffigan, Järvi, Macelaru, Mäkelä, Noseda, Pappano, Pintscher, Sokhiev, Søndergård, Van Zweden, and Yamada to name a few.

As an exclusive Decca Classics recording artist, Yunchan Lim’s acclaimed debut studio album, Chopin Études Opp. 10 & 25 has gone triple platinum in South Korea and topped the classical charts around the world. The album won the 2024 Gramophone Award for Piano, and he was named Young Artist of the Year, received a prestigious Diapason d’Or de l’anée, and saw him nominated for an Opus Klassik. He also made history winning three awards at the BBC Music Magazine Awards, including Recording of the Year. His other releases on the label include the recording of his momentous performance of Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No.3 live from the Cliburn Competition final, and Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons. His previous releases include his award-winning Cliburn performance of Liszt’s Transcendental Études (Steinway & Sons), Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 “Emperor” (Universal Music Group); and his appearance on KBS’s 2020 Young Musicians of Korea album. Since January 2024, Yunchan has been an Apple Music Classical Global Ambassador.

About the Orchestra

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

As one of the world’s oldest orchestras, the Staatskapelle Dresden is steeped in tradition. Founded in 1548 by Moritz, Elector of Saxony, its history is inextricably linked with the city of Dresden, the royal Saxon court and its theatre. Until today, the venerable ensemble performs some 250 operas and ballets each season at its home in the Semperoper. In addition, it presents around 50 symphonic concerts, matinee events and chamber music evenings. Daniele Gatti has been Principal Conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden since the 2024/25 concert season.

The Staatskapelle’s most significant principal conductors of the last 150 years include Ernst von Schuch, Fritz Reiner, Fritz Busch, Karl Böhm, Joseph Keilberth, Rudolf Kempe, Otmar Suitner, Kurt Sanderling, Giuseppe Sinopoli, Bernard Haitink, Fabio Luisi and, from 2012 to 2024, Christian Thielemann. In May 2016, former Principal Conductor Herbert Blomstedt was appointed Conductor Laureate. And in July 2024, this title, which previously had been held solely by Sir Colin Davis from 1990 until his death in 2013, was also bestowed on Christian Thielemann. Myung-Whun Chung has been the orchestra’s Principal Guest Conductor since 2012.