BIEK, UK's RNCM to host Global Arts Week 2026 in Seoul to connect young pianists with world stage

A special platform is opening for South Korea's promising young classical musicians to engage directly with a world-class music institution and step onto the global stage.

BIEK Global Arts Week 2026 will be held from July 27 to Aug. 1 at Lotte Art Center in Seoul.

The event is organized by BIEK (British International Education Korea), led by CEO Choi Yo-sep, and operated by About Classic Group Co., a performing arts company headed by CEO Lee Dong-hyeok.

Going beyond a simple competition, the event is a comprehensive international music education project in which faculty from the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) — one of Britain's most prestigious conservatories — travel to Korea in person to discover and nurture the country's musical talent.

RNCM ranked fifth in the music category of the 2025 QS World University Rankings.

From competition to masterclass: a multilayered education program

The centerpiece of the event, the RNCM Seoul International Piano Competition 2026, runs from July 27 to July 31.

Pianists ranging from elementary school students to university students and open-age entrants are eligible to compete. RNCM faculty will serve as chief adjudicators, joined by top Korean pianists as co-judges for a rigorous and impartial evaluation.

Winners will receive certificates and prize money, along with the opportunity to perform at a gala concert on the final day of the event.

Winners will also receive an official letter of recommendation giving them preferential consideration when applying for RNCM admission auditions — a concrete stepping stone for students who dream of studying abroad.

The educational programming is equally rich. Prominent RNCM professors Simon Callaghan and Graham Scott will give masterclasses, offering participants one-on-one instruction.

A faculty concert titled "From Shadow to Celebration" will also be presented, featuring the British faculty alongside RNCM alumna Professor Yoo Jae-kyung and Kim Yun-ji, offering audiences the essence of British classical music alongside a contemporary sensibility.

UK university auditions in Seoul: a gateway to the world from home

The most distinctive feature of the project is the RNCM admission audition, to be held on Aug. 1, the final day of the event.

Students hoping to pursue undergraduate or graduate programs at RNCM will be able to audition directly before the college's own faculty in Seoul, without traveling to the United Kingdom.

Those who pass the Korea audition will have the opportunity to receive an offer of admission for the September 2027 intake.

The chance to audition for a world-renowned conservatory while saving significant time and expense has drawn keen interest from aspiring students across the country.

Bridging Korean and British education — and eyeing an RNCM campus in Korea

BIEK, the event's organizer, has served as a bridge introducing and connecting leading British secondary and higher education institutions to Korea.

The organization has been actively pursuing Korea-UK education and global exchange projects, including efforts to establish British international schools in several regions of the country, among them Taean in South Chungcheong Province.

"We hope this event becomes a channel through which Korea's talented students can communicate directly with world-class institutions and grow into global artists," BIEK CEO Choi said. "We are not only looking to expand cultural and arts education cooperation between the two countries every year, but are also actively reviewing the possibility of establishing an RNCM campus in Korea so that students can continue to receive high-quality education here at home."

Lee Dong-hyeok, CEO of About Classic Group, which is overseeing operations, said it was meaningful to present "a new model of international cultural arts that combines global music education with performance content," adding that the company would "create a high-caliber festival where every participant can grow to the next level."