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Myung-whun Chung (; born 22 January 1953) is a South Korean conductor and pianist.
Chung was chief conductor of the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Saarbrücken from 1984 to 1990, and principal guest conductor of the Teatro Comunale Florence from 1987 to 1992. At the end of the 1987–88 season, he received the Premio Abbiati award from Italian critics, and the following year was awarded the Arturo Toscanini prize. Chung was the Paris Opera's music director from 1989 to 1994, during which time he opened the inaugural season of the then-new Opéra Bastille. For the opening, he performed Berlioz's complete Les Troyens to high praise from critics. In 1991, the Association of French Theatres and Music Critics named him "Artist of the year" and in 1992 he received the Legion d'Honneur for his contribution to the Paris Opéra. In 1995, he was honoured three times at the French Victoires de la Musiques Classiques, and was also named Meilleur Chef d'Orchestre de l'Année. He directed the world premiere of Messiaen's last work: the Concert à quatre for four soloists and orchestra, which the composer had dedicated to Myung-whun Chung and the Orchestre de la Bastille.
Chung took the role of artistic director at the Asia Philharmonic Orchestra in 1997 and at the Orchestre philharmonique de Radio France in 2000. The Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra made Chung a Special Artistic Advisor in 2001, its Honorary Conductor Laureate in 2010, and its Honorary Music Director from 2016. Chung became the first principal guest conductor in the history of the Staatskapelle Dresden in 2012. He was the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra's principal conductor between 2005 and 2015. During this period, the Seoul Philharmonic became the first Asian orchestra to sign a major-label record deal and gave its first performance at The Proms.
In May 2025, La Scala announced the appointment of Chung as its next music director, effective in 2027.
In addition to being awarded numerous music prizes, Myung-whun Chung has also been honoured with Korea's most distinguished cultural award 'Kumkwan' for his contribution to Korean musical life. Chung served as Ambassador for the Drug Control Program at the United Nations and was Korea's first Honorary Cultural Ambassador.
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