The Centro Cultural Coreano, part of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Spain, has announced the closing concert of its Ciclo de Música Clásica Corea 2025. The final event, titled “¡Bis!”, will feature a performance by cellist Minjoung Kim, accompanied by pianist Junhyung Kim.
The concert is scheduled for Friday, November 14, at 12:00 p.m. in the auditorium of the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando, located at Calle de Alcalá 13 in Madrid. For those unable to attend in person, the event will also be broadcast live on the institution’s YouTube channel.
This year’s series operates under the theme “¡Bis!”, which reunites audiences with artists who have previously performed in Spain at the invitation of the Korean Cultural Center. Ms. Kim, for instance, previously performed in Madrid and Avilés in 2019 alongside fellow Korean musicians from the Escuela Superior de Música de Reina Sofía.
Performer Profiles
Minjoung Kim
Minjoung Kim is a South Korean cellist recognized for her expressive artistry and brilliant technique. Her professional training began at the age of 13 under Professor Myung-Wha Chung, after which she began winning top positions in South Korean national competitions. She made her recital debut at the Kumho Art Hall in Seoul in 2004.
During the 2014/15 academic year, she was a student of Professor Ivan Monighetti at the Basel Music Academy, where she also worked closely with Sol Gabetta. After completing her bachelor’s degree there, she continued her studies at the Escuela Superior de Música Reina Sofía. Ms. Kim then entered the Kronberg Academy, completing both a Master’s degree and an Artist Diploma under the tutelage of Professor Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt.
She has been honored at numerous international competitions, including the Paulo International Cello Competition, the International Mazzacurati Cello Competition, the Grand Prix Emanuel Feuermann, the Gaspar Cassadó International CCello Competition, the Prague Spring International Music Competition, and the Geneva International Music Competition. As a member of the Capybara Piano Quartet, she was also awarded first place at the Osaka Chamber Music Competition.
Currently, Ms. Kim continues her studies with Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt in Weimar and serves as the associate principal cellist with the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden.
Junhyung Kim
Born in Seoul in 1997, pianist Junhyung Kim began his studies at the age of 10. He is currently studying under the guidance of Professor Severin von Eckardstein at the Hochschule für Musik und Tanz Köln.
He has achieved significant recognition in major competitions. In 2022, he won second prize at the ARD International Music Competition, and in 2021, he won first prize at the Seoul International Music Competition. He also received the Special Prize from the Mozart Society at the 2017 ARD International Music Competition. In 2018, he won third prize at the Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy Competition and the Sponsorship Prize in the Music Promotion Award of the Konzertverein Ingolstadt. In 2019, he received fourth prize at the Aarhus International Music Competition in Denmark and sixth prize at the Sendai International Music Competition in Japan.
Mr. Kim has performed as a soloist with numerous orchestras, including the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne, the Konzerthaus Orchestra Berlin, the Munich Chamber Orchestra, and the Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra.
Concert Program
- Alberto Ginastera (1916-1983)
- Pampeana nº 2. Rapsodia para violonchelo y piano, op.2
- Sonata para violonchelo y piano, op.49
- I. Allegro deciso
- II. Adagio passionato
- III. Presto mormoroso
- IV. Allegro con fuoco
- Manuel de Falla (1876-1946)
- Siete canciones populares españolas
- I. El paño moruno
- II. Seguidilla murciana
- III. Asturiana
- IV. Jota
- V. Nana
- VI. Canción
- VII. Polo
- Siete canciones populares españolas
- Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
- Sonata para violonchelo y piano en Re mayor nº2, op.58
- I. Allegro assai vivace
- II. Allegretto scherzando
- III. Adagio
- IV. Molto allegro e vivace
- Sonata para violonchelo y piano en Re mayor nº2, op.58
Program Background
The Ciclo de Música Clásica Corea was created in 2018 by the Korean Cultural Center in Spain. Its objective is to give visibility to Korean performers in Europe through concerts in Spain.
This cycle is part of the larger “Korea Season” project, an initiative promoted by KOFICE and the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. This project aims to promote the cultural and artistic diversity of Korea in strategic countries annually. The “Korea Season” is being held in Spain throughout 2025, featuring a varied program that includes music, cinema, literature, visual arts, dance, and more.
