"This is a song about my life so far," said Ha Sung-ho, the music director of the Seoul Pops Orchestra, on July 21. He noted, "This is my first time writing and composing pop songs, and I am eager to start my journey in this genre."
The Seoul Pops Orchestra will celebrate its 38th anniversary with a commemorative concert titled 'Ha Sung-ho and the Seoul Pops Orchestra' on August 12 at the Lotte Concert Hall. This will be the first time the orchestra performs at this venue, having held regular concerts at places like the Arts Center and the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts each year.
A key highlight of the concert is that Ha Sung-ho will debut two original songs. Baritone Ko Seong-hyun will perform 'Life,' while the popera group La Classe W will present 'Cold Season.'
Ha stated, "While I have written many classical concertos, this is my first serious attempt at writing pop songs. Both pieces are autobiographical."
'Life' is a reflection of his personal experiences. Ha explained, "I wrote the lyrics and composed the music while looking back on my life." The other new song, 'Cold Season,' reminisces about past love. He described it as a song inspired by memories of previous relationships.
With this release, Ha plans to delve deeper into pop music composition. He added, "I have already completed a third song. If there are singers who want to perform my songs, I would love to collaborate with them."
The Seoul Pops Orchestra is known for breaking the boundaries between classical and popular music in South Korea. It has consistently sought to popularize classical music while encompassing genres such as pop, musicals, jazz, and dance music.
Ha recalls the beginning of this endeavor in 1989, stating, "Thirty-seven years ago, tenor Park In-soo and singer Kim Jong-chan performed 'Love is Far Away' together at the Arts Center. It was a groundbreaking attempt for a classical vocalist and a pop singer to share the same stage, and it created a significant impact."
He has focused on dismantling the barriers between classical and popular music, and this concert continues that mission. Baritone Ko Seong-hyun will sing 'Si può? Signore! Signori!' from the opera 'Pagliacci' and the new song 'Life,' while La Classe W will perform 'Cold Season' and 'I Believe.' Singer Park Nam-jung will also join the orchestra for a medley including 'Because I Love You' and 'Thinking of You,' creating a genre-blending performance.
A representative from the Seoul Pops Orchestra remarked, "It is rare for a dance singer to perform with an orchestra at the Lotte Concert Hall. Our goal for the past 38 years has been to make classical concert halls more accessible to a wider audience."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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