Sungjung Cultural Foundation brings free classical concerts to Gyeonggi Province schools

The Sungjung Cultural Foundation is bringing classical music performances directly to schools for young audiences.

The foundation announced Sunday that it is holding the 26th Sungjung Youth Open Concert, a free touring series visiting elementary, middle and high schools across Gyeonggi Province. This year's series opened June 11 at Wawoo Elementary School in Hwaseong, with the second performance taking place Sunday at Seongpo Middle School in Ansan. Subsequent performances are scheduled at Gyeonggi Business High School in Bucheon and Millak Middle School in Uijeongbu.

The Sungjung Youth Open Concert is the foundation's flagship community outreach program, running continuously since 1994. It was established to give young people with limited access to concert halls the chance to experience professional musicians up close. For one day, a school gymnasium becomes a performance venue, and students hear live the classical music they have only encountered in textbooks.

This year's series carries added significance as the foundation marks its 45th anniversary. Over the decades, the Sungjung Cultural Foundation has worked to discover emerging musicians and expand cultural opportunities for the next generation through programs including the Sungjung Music Competition, scholarship initiatives and youth concerts. Foundation chairwoman Kim Jeong-ja has consistently championed arts-based community service, continuing the outreach series so that young people can encounter the arts regardless of where they live or their circumstances.

This year's concert program spans classical vocal and string performances, jazz violin and brass quintet. At the June 11 performance at Wawoo Elementary School, the lineup featured violinist Kim So-jeong, soprano Lee Yeong-suk, baritone Gwak Sang-hun and the Raon Brass Ensemble, who performed classical masterworks alongside opera, musical theater and animated film soundtracks.

Sunday's performance at Seongpo Middle School features soprano Kim So-won, classical guitarist Bae Jang-heum, baritone Hwang Jung-cheol and the Raon Brass Ensemble. At Gyeonggi Business High School on July 8, soprano Lee Yeong-suk, tenor Choi Eun-seok and jazz violinist Kim Bit-nal-yun-mi are set to take the stage, with a repertoire extending to popular music by Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars and Han Dae-su. The July 13 performance at Millak Middle School will feature violinist Kim Hyeon-su, soprano Kang I-seul and tenor Ju Seon-jung.

The Raon Brass Ensemble will perform familiar pieces at each concert in brass quintet arrangements, including "Do-Re-Mi Song," "Frozen," "Pirates of the Caribbean" and the "Carmen Overture." The program mixes classical works with film scores, animated soundtracks and K-pop to make music more accessible to young audiences.

The foundation hopes the concerts will offer students more than a passive performance experience, giving them a chance to find comfort, empathy and imagination through the arts. The series is particularly meaningful for students who have fewer opportunities to engage with culture, as it brings high-quality performances directly into their schools.

"What may be an ordinary day for one person can become someone else's first unforgettable encounter with art," foundation chairwoman Kim said. "I hope that a single piece of classical music heard for the first time at school will stay with students for a long time — inspiring their dreams and broadening the way they see the world."

She added: "Art has the power to do more than simply be appreciated — it nurtures the human spirit and sparks the imagination. The Sungjung Cultural Foundation will continue its outreach arts program so that more young people can find comfort and hope through music and discover their own potential."