‘Great that composers like Alexey Shor are writing tonal music,' says Roman Kim

Gulf Today

03-04-2025

The
InClassica International Music Festival
will soon be returning to Dubai from April 6th to 21st, 2025, celebrating its 14th annual edition with an extraordinary lineup of world-renowned soloists, conductors, and orchestras. Taking place at the prestigious Dubai Opera, this year's festival holds special significance as it marks the 55th birthday of Composer-in-Residence
Alexey Shor
, a prolific artist who is hailed amongst the most influential voices in the contemporary classical music scene. Among the star performers gracing the stage at this edition is the celebrated violinist Roman Kim, who will headline the festival's opening concert on April 6th.
Kim, widely regarded as one of the most innovative violinists of his generation, expressed his excitement at joining the festival, stating that 'I'm very honored and very happy to be part of this festival, to open it, and to perform on stage with such great musicians. It's a truly special occasion, and I'm really excited!'
For his performance at InClassica, Kim will be collaborating with the Franz Schubert Filharmonia under the baton of the esteemed UK conductor John Warner. Reflecting on this upcoming partnership, Kim noted that 'I have never performed with the Franz Schubert Filharmonia before, so it will be an incredible experience for me. I'm really looking forward to playing with them at this festival.'
Alexey Shor, InClassica Composer-in-Residence.
As InClassica continues to expand classical music's reach in the Middle East, this edition will highlight the works of Alexey Shor, celebrating his rich legacy and plentiful contributions to contemporary classical music. Kim, who has previously performed Alexey Shor's works, shared his appreciation for the composer's distinct musical style, noting that 'it is great that some composers today are still writing in tonal music, rather than atonal. Alexey Shor is writing tonal music, and I admire such a creative activity very much, because musical art is the most beautiful art and it has the capacity to save the world!'
Kim's April 6th performance will feature Shor's Violin Concerto No. 2, 'Phantasms', a work that blends lyrical expressiveness with virtuosic flair. Speaking about the concerto, Kim remarked that, 'I have already performed part of this piece—'Flight of the Falcon'—and I think it's a fantastic idea to incorporate it into a full concerto. I'm very happy to be one of the performers bringing this work to life.'
Beyond his participation in InClassica 2025, Kim has a busy year ahead with a host of performances, masterclasses, and projects. 'I have many exciting projects this year,' he said. 'I will be playing twelve concerts in Munich, featuring traditional repertoire, as well as performances in Taiwan, Romania, Italy, France, and more. In China, I'll be sitting on the jury of an international competition this July, and I will also be giving many summer academies and masterclasses, as well as concerts of course. Additionally, I'm working on launching my own violin string company, as I've been producing my own strings for many years. It's a lot of work, but I'm very excited!'
For more information about InClassica 2025, Roman Kim's performance and Composer-in-Residence Alexey Shor visit
inclassica.com
today.