Sookmyung Concert for the 120th Anniversary…Sookmyung’s History and Future Through Music
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- Writer 커뮤니케이션팀
- 보도일자 2026-05-08
On Wednesday, May 6, our university hosted the “Sookmyung Women’s University 120th Anniversary Commemorative Concert” at the KBS Hall in Yeouido. The event was organized by Sookmyung Women’s University and overseen by the College of Music.
The concert was hosted by Prof. Yoo Si-yeon, Dean of the College of Music, and featured approximately 300 members of the Sookmyung community—including current students and alumni from the College of Music—who came together on stage to present a special performance connecting the university’s 120-year history and future through music.
The “Sookmyung Philharmonic Orchestra” (conducted by Kim Yoo-won), composed of 116 students from the Dept. of Orchestral Studies, began rehearsing even before the semester started during the winter break and continued late-night practices to perfect the performance. Meanwhile, the combined choir “Sookmyung Choir” symbolically demonstrated the solidarity and affection shared among Sookmyung members across generations, with participants ranging from freshmen admitted in the Class of 2026 to alumni from the Class of 1962—spanning approximately 65 years.
In her congratulatory remarks, President Moon Si-yeun stated, “The founding spirit that opened the doors to women’s education 120 years ago has become the living root of Sookmyung people, who continuously innovate themselves and redesign the world,” adding, “May the melodies we share today become a powerful signal heralding Sookmyung’s even more brilliant growth and creativity.”
Chung Chun-hee, Chair of the Sookmyung Development Committee, also shared congratulatory remarks, saying, “Today’s event is a meaningful occasion where students, faculty, and alumni breathe together and connect the past, present, and future,” and expressed her hope that “the resonance of this performance will remain not merely as a concert, but as a lasting source of pride for all Sookmyung people,” emphasizing the significance of the university’s 120th anniversary.
The concert opened with a triumphant fanfare celebrating Sookmyung’s 120th anniversary through John Williams’ “Olympic Fanfare and Theme.” This was followed by performances from musical actors Baek Eun-hye and Han Jae-ah, both alumni of the university’s Dept. of Vocal Music, who moved the audience with renditions of “For Good” from Wicked and “In His Eyes” from Jekyll & Hyde.
The final stage of Part I featured Prof. Park Soo-jin of the Dept. of Piano performing George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” together with the Sookmyung Philharmonic Orchestra. The work’s distinctive blend of jazz and classical music filled the hall with a free-spirited and sophisticated atmosphere, earning enthusiastic applause from the audience.
Part II, which followed the intermission, featured Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 9, “From the New World.” Throughout the approximately 40-minute performance, the Sookmyung Philharmonic Orchestra conveyed messages of challenge and hope toward a new era, appreciating the meaning of the founding spirit established 120 years ago.
The concert’s finale was “Sookmyung Arirang,” composed by Prof. Hong Seung-gi of the Dept. of Composition. Originally written in 2016 to commemorate the university’s 110th anniversary, the piece was newly revised for the 120th anniversary. By combining the melody of the university anthem with the traditional tune of Arirang, the composition expressed both Sookmyung’s identity and Korean sentiment.
The encore stage that followed made the meaning of the 120th anniversary even more special. The first encore piece was “Happy Birthday To You,” a witty selection celebrating the anniversary, with audience members clapping along and enjoying the lingering excitement of the concert.
The second encore was Edward Elgar’s “Pomp and Circumstance March.” As the color guard entered the stage carrying the university and College of Music flags, the atmosphere in the hall grew even more spirited. Forty flag bearers composed of College of Music students followed, waving commemorative flags for the 120th anniversary. Members of the Sookmyung Choir also unfolded flags together while singing the “Sookmyung Hymn.” The concert concluded with a grand chorus uniting the audience and performers as one, filling the hall with pride in Sookmyung’s 120-year history and overwhelming emotion.