Maestro Chung Myung-whun Returns as KBS Symphony Orchestra Music Director
Creatrip Team
2 months ago
Maestro Chung Myung-whun (72) was appointed the 10th music director of the KBS Symphony Orchestra at a press conference on the 26th, returning to lead a Korean orchestra after ten years. Chung said he initially felt it might be "too late" but accepted the role out of responsibility to his country and affection for musicians. Unlike his earlier career focus on achievements and rigor, he now emphasizes leisure and responsibility, aiming to support players so they can perform freely while he bears full responsibility on stage. He called the KBS Symphony a representative Korean orchestra and pledged to help restore its stature and pride. From 2026 Chung will hold posts at La Scala (Italy), the Busan Classic (Busan), and the KBS Symphony, concentrating his schedule on Italy, France, and Korea. His official conducting debut as music director will be Beethoven’s Symphony No.3 on Jan 16, 2026, and his first-year plan includes five concerts and programming highlights such as a Mahler series and a concert version of Bizet’s Carmen (a nod to his 1997 introduction of concert opera in Korea). (KBS Symphony)
