KBS Symphony Orchestra

The KBS Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1956, and throughout its long history has become Korea´s leading national symphony orchestra.

The KBS Symphony Orchestra is known by its audience for its excellent delivery of a diversity of repertoire, from symphonic work through to chamber music. Performing to over 100 000 audience members each year, the orchestra presents programs with some of the world´s greatest conductors and soloists in Korea and the world, including Isaac Stern, Joshua Bell, Emmanuel Ax, Paik Kun-woo, and Cho Sung-jin. Including Jaap van Zweden, Fabio Luisi, and Krzysztof Penderecki.


In 2010 the KBS Symphony Orchestra represented Korea at the United Nation´s 65th Anniversary Commemoration Concert and has continued this representative role on numerous occasions. The KBSSO gave a special performance at the banquet for national guests to commemorate the USA President Trump´s visit to Korea, in China to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Diplomatic Ties between Korea and China in 2017, and proudly took part in the Opening Ceremony Performance at the PyeonChang 2018 Paralympic Winter Games.


Since first performing internationally in 1958, the orchestra is regularly invited to perform at festivals and venues all over the world. The orchestra has toured extensively in Europe, America, Japan and China and in 2019 the KBS SO made its much lauded debut in the Musikverein in Vienna.


Former music directors of the orchestra include the first chief conductor Lim Wonsik who was succeeded by some of the world´s most esteemed conductors: Hong Yeontaek, Won Kyung-soo, Othmar Maga, Chung Myung-Whun, and Dmitry Kitaenko, and Yoel Levi.
Pietari Inkinen will be the 9th music director of the KBS Symphony and his tenure will start January, 2022.