Former engineering student and ‘dancing conductor’ is on a mission to bring classical music to a wider, more diverse audience.
| Baek Yoonhak (Sejong Center for the Performing Arts) |
For much of his youth — from his years at a magnet science high school to engineering studies at Seoul National University — one plus one was simply two. What changed conductor Baek Yoonhak’s path, however, was something unmathematical. When he joined his university choir, singing and conducting felt like more than an addition; it was the creation of something new.
"It’s hard to explain," he said, "but it felt like being the main character in a movie (when conducting in front of the choir). I just had a feeling I wouldn't regret it until the day I died," Baek told The Korea Herald during an interview on Aug. 20.
The feeling was so strong that he decided to pursue it professionally, despite his parents' initial opposition.
After graduating from one of the country’s top engineering schools, he transferred to a music program, where he majored in classical music. He then continued his studies at the Curtis Institute of Music in the US and later at Temple University, specializing in piano accompaniment and opera coaching.
The 50-year-old conductor and professor at Yeungnam University has drawn attention for his unique background and distinctive podium style, earning the nickname "the dancing conductor" for his expressive and energetic movements.
Yet Baek is quick to note that neither his engineering background nor his dance-like movements is unprecedented.
“When you meet conductors, you often find they are very logical,” Baek explained. “And it’s not unusual, especially abroad, for conductors to come from completely different fields,” he noted.
Beyond his engineering background — with its emphasis on analysis and logic — countless discussions with classmates also helped him in learning and interpreting complex musical scores.
"One might expect that my analytical training would make my conducting appear analytical as well, but, for me, it was quite the opposite. My movements just come naturally," he noted. He added that a conductor's job has two parts: "traffic control and breathing life into the music as an artist. My passionate movements are part of that latter role.”
| Baek Yoonhak (Sejong Center for The Performing Arts) |
This signature style has made him a leader in bringing classical music to a wider audience through orchestral performances of popular film soundtracks, like those from Studio Ghibli and Disney. While these may seem like a departure from traditional classical repertoire, he sees it as a vital mission.
“When I ask how many people are seeing an orchestra concert for the first time, about 80 percent of the 1,000-seat hall raise their hands,” he revealed. “We’ve had about 60 such concerts, so roughly 48,000 people who had never been to an orchestra before have come because of these concerts.” For him, the genre is less important than the outcome: a new fan for live music. He acknowledges that some might not see film scores as "classical," but he doesn't feel the need to argue.
“My goal is to get people interested in music,” he said, adding that it creates a positive feedback loop that encourages audiences to explore more traditional works.
"After all," he noted, "what we now call classical music was once revolutionary, too.”
This philosophy will be on full display Friday, when Baek takes the stage with the Seoul Metropolitan Chorus for the Summer Family Concert at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts. This will bring him in front of a choir professionally for the first time, more than 30 years after he decided to become a conductor.
The sold-out program includes Mozart’s "Coronation Mass," well-loved opera choruses by Verdi and Puccini, and orchestral favorites such as Strauss’s "Blue Danube," Elgar’s "Pomp and Circumstance March" and more.
Perhaps it was his unconventional background and the formative experience of singing in a college choir that made him passionate about accessibility. In the interview, he expressed interest in a range of genres, from K-pop, game music to musicals. He is also involved with the Daegu Youth Orchestra as well as the IBK Together Orchestra, an amateur ensemble made up of people from diverse professions. He finds it deeply moving to create music with people who seek solace and joy in it after a long day at demanding jobs.
"I just hope that everyone, whether they're a performer or a listener, can be happy," he said.
| Baek Yoonhak leads a rehearsal with the Seoul Metropolitan Chorus. (Sejong Center for The Performing Arts) |
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