U.S. Debut for Pusan Orchestra

A symphonic program crowded with soloists and guests makes for a festive musical event, but all those extra musicians can get in the way of hearing the orchestra. That is almost what happened Tuesday night, when the Pusan Philharmonic, led by Sung Kwak, gave the first of four U.S. tour concerts.

Kwak is a known quantity stateside, having been music director of the Austin Symphony in Texas for the 14 years ending in 1996. But the Pusan ensemble, a fixture in Korea since its founding 35 years ago, was making its North American debut at this appearance in the Wiltern Theatre. The orchestra sounded respectable, if hardly virtuosic, and spent most of the evening--a program of music by Jun Il Kang, Liszt and Prokofiev--backing its guests.

The percussion quartet Samulnori Pae took the first solo spotlight in Kang’s Samulnori Concerto, “Madang,” and displayed spectacular technique and ensemble in a work fairly described as eventful, lively and cinematic. Through its colorful, 18-minute length, “Madang” demands great concentration, but rewards championship efforts from each of the four players, especially the efforts called for in two complex and extended group cadenzas.

Sharing the stage with the orchestra at the end of the evening in Prokofiev’s “Alexander Nevsky” cantata were two combined Los Angeles choirs, of Hanmi Opera and of Grant A.M.E. Church. Together, they sang with high spirits, good word connection and some moments of raw, unmodulated tone--qualities appropriate to Prokofiev’s proto-democratic musical canvas.

The deeply effective mezzo-soprano soloist in “The Field of the Dead” movement was Shin Ja Kim. Despite a low level of polish throughout this performance, Kwak’s overall conception seemed to hold it all together.

At mid-program, Liszt’s Piano Concerto No. 1 became a solid vehicle for soloist Hae Jung Kim, whose performance emerged as accurate and obdurate and in no way spontaneous. Kwak and the orchestra went along for the ride.