Conductor Chin Sol hopes to become 'a figure this world has never seen'

36-year-old conductor Chin Sol is making waves in classical and contemporary music.

Music conductor Chin Sol during an interview with the JoongAng Sunday, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, on May 24 [JOONGANG ILBO]

Whether leading the Mahlerian project, founded with the goal of performing Gustav Mahler's full symphonies, or conducting orchestral recitals of the soundtracks to popular games StarCraft and Guardian Tales, Chin Sol is more than a “rare conductor.”

The title of “young innovator” suits the 36-year-old better as she traverses classical and contemporary music.

Chin was named one of the winners of this year's Yumin Awards. Launched in 2010 to honor "Yumin" Hong Jin-ki, the late co-founder and former chairman of the JoongAng Ilbo, the annual award recognizes Koreans who have made contributions to society, science and technology and culture and arts.

Her career began like that any other conductor. She majored in conducting at the Korea National University of Arts' School of Music and later earned her master's degree from the University of Music and Performing Arts Mannheim. She then built her international career by conducting various orchestras abroad, including the Baden-Baden Philharmonic Orchestra in Germany. After returning to Korea, she worked with the KBS Symphony Orchestra and the Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra.

About a decade ago, she founded the temporary Artisee Orchestra, marking the start of her bold endeavors. She gathered musicians that were fans of Mahler’s works and launched the Mahlerian project, gaining widespread attention in the classical music scene.

Chin is also the CEO and artistic director of Flasic, a platform specialized in producing game music orchestra concerts, helping to pioneer the field.

Actor Lee Young-ae as a music conductor in tvN drama series ″Maestra″ (2023) [TVN]

She became better known to the public for giving actor Lee Young-ae conducting lessons for tvN drama “Maestra: Strings of Truth” (2023) and serving as the show's chief orchestra consultant.

Chin grew up in a musical family. Her father is Chin Kyu-yung, a conductor and professor emeritus at Yeungnam University, and her mother is soprano Lee Byung-lyul. Still, her parents did not wish for her to work in the music field.

“Despite being so attached to modern classical music, they knew the harsh realities of it, as it was also unpopular with the general public,” Chin said.

Nevertheless, Chin felt destined to become a musician. She was bullied during her high school years, but she found solace in online video games, the music of which would run through her mind as she played. And she set her sights on becoming a conductor after watching a video of Japan's Seiji Ozawa conducting German composer Carl Orff's “Carmina Burana.” She once ran away from home to escape her parents' severe opposition to her dream and enrolled at the Korea National University of Arts to pursue music.

Music conductor Chin Sol during an interview with the JoongAng Sunday, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, on May 24 [JOONGANG ILBO]

Chin has a busy schedule for the rest of this year. While she is occupied with her current projects, she hopes to add new ones whenever she gets a chance.

Her latest endeavor is the Artisee Requiem Series, a decade-long performance of classical and modern music for the requiem mass. The first recital, featuring Mozart’s Requiem, will take place at the Seoul Arts Center’s Concert Hall on June 12.

Artisee is also holding the Over the Classic Composition Contest, an attempt to discover new compositions by budding neoclassical composers.

“I want to go beyond being a female conductor,” Chin said, “and become a figure that this world has never seen.”

BY MOON SO-YOUNG [kjdculture@joongang.co.kr]