— A stellar meeting between two continents.

He plays to sold-out houses in both Asia and Europe and is considered one of South Korea's shining, classical star pianists. For the very first time, we get to experience South Korean Jae-Yeon Won in Norway — who has invited some of his leading colleagues from ARKO Ensemble in Europe, of which he is the artistic director.

Tonight's programme draws lines from the adventurous, folk music of Schumann, Kodály and Ravel — and up to the concert's undisputed main work: Fauré's masterful Piano Quartet in C minor. Welcome to the very best from two continents!

Siyeon Cho violin
Yoona Lee viola
Kyeong Park cello
Jae-Yeon Won piano

Duration approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes including break.

• Programme

  Robert Schumann (1810—1856)
  Fairytale Pictures, Op. 113

  Zoltán Kodály (1882—1967)
  Dances of Marosszék (1927) for solo piano

  Maurice Ravel (1875—1937)
  Sonata for violin and cello (1922), 1st movement

  — Pause

  Gabriel Fauré (1877—1962)
  Piano Quartet No. 1 in C minor, Op. 15

• About the performers

  "His ethereal sound strikes Herkulessaal (…)"
  — Süddeutsche Zeitung

  "This young pianist richly endowed with talents processes the highest pianistic professionalism and culture combined with musical sensibility, appealing artistry (…)"
  — Dang Thai Son

  Jae-Yeon Won possesses a uniquely captivating sound that sets him apart as an exceptional musician of his generation. His career began to take shape after his success at the 61st Ferruccio Busoni International Piano Competition. He currently divides his time between Austria and South Korea.

  Dang Thai Son and Kevin Kenner, who greatly praised Jae-Yeon Won's performance, became his musical mentors along with his affiliation with Maria João Pires. His artistic foundation lies in his sensibility and intelligence. He has been performing in renowned venues such as the Berlin Philharmonie, Herkulessaal, Beethoven-Haus, Alte Aula Heidelberg, Wiener Saal in Salzburg, Salle Cortot, Salle Gaveau, Opéra Comique in Paris, Palacio de la Ópera in A Coruña, Auditorio de Ferrol, Teatro Ricardo Castro in Durango, Seoul Arts Center, and Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul, among others.

  ​​His performances have led to appearances and re-invitations with Orchester Philharmonique de Radio France, Orquestra Sinfonica de Galicia, Das Haydn-Orchestra, Westsächsischen Symphonieorchester, Bari Province Symphony Orchestra, Leipzig Musikhochschule orchestra, Quartetto di Cremona, Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra, Korean Symphony Orchestra, KBS Symphony Orchestra and Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra.

  ​Jae-Yeon Won made his debut album "Bach to Bartok" on Acousence label in 2020 sponsored by Shigeru Kawai. He will release an album on the Onyx label in 2025, followed by another three albums with Onyx by 2027. Jae-Yeon Won is a Steinway Artist.

  ARKO Ensemble in Europe is a program launched in 2024 by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea and supported by the Arts Council Korea. It was established to support young Korean classical musicians under the age of 34 who are studying or residing in Europe. The ensemble is led by Artistic Director and pianist Jae-Yeon Won.

  ARKO made its successful debut in November 2024 with performances at the Korean Cultural Center in Vienna and the Wiener Saal of the Stiftung Mozarteum Salzburg. For the 2024–25 season, performances are planned in major European cities including Berlin, London, Paris, Barcelona, and Stockholm. In the 2025–26 season, the ensemble is scheduled to tour Eastern Europe, including Poland and Hungary, and has been invited to perform at international festivals such as the Festival International de Salon-de-Provence in France.

Welcome to a unique musical experience!