Roberto Abbado Named Music Director of Korea’s National Symphony Orchestra

Written by Chantal Gapato  |  January 11, 2026

Italian conductor Roberto Abbado has officially taken office as the eighth music director of the National Symphony Orchestra, marking a new chapter for the ensemble. The inauguration press conference was held on January 7 at the Seoul Arts Center in Seocho district, Seoul.

Abbado, 71, comes from one of Italy’s most distinguished musical families. His grandfather, Michelangelo Abbado, was a violinist who played a pioneering role in Italy’s early Baroque performance movement. Born in 1900, Michelangelo founded a Baroque focused string orchestra in the 1930s, served as a professor at the Milan Conservatory, and later headed Casa Verdi, the residence established by composer Giuseppe Verdi for elderly musicians.

Abbado’s father, Marcello Abbado, was a pianist and composer who served as director of the Milan Conservatory for 24 years. His uncle, Claudio Abbado, was one of the most influential conductors of the 20th century and served as chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic following Herbert von Karajan.

At the press conference, Abbado acknowledged his family’s musical legacy, noting that music has long been a part of his family history. He also recalled a well known joke within Italian musical circles referring to his family members’ roles in different stages of a musician’s life, a remark he said was originally made by his uncle Claudio.

Despite his background, Abbado described himself as a late starter in music, beginning piano studies at the age of twelve. He emphasized that no one in his family was forced into music at an early age. He later studied composition and conducting at the Milan Conservatory and gained international attention after placing second in the 1977 Guido Cantelli Conducting Competition.

Abbado went on to build an international career, serving as conductor of the Munich Radio Symphony Orchestra in Germany and the Teatro Comunale di Bologna Orchestra in Italy. His repertoire spans opera, symphonic music, and contemporary works.

His first collaboration with the National Symphony Orchestra took place in 2023, when he conducted Bellini’s opera Norma. At the press conference, he spoke of Europe’s growing interest in Korean culture and said he has encountered many talented Korean musicians throughout his conducting career.

Abbado’s term as music director will last three years. During this period, he plans to focus on works by 19th century Romantic composers such as Mendelssohn and Schumann, as well as operas inspired by literary figures including Goethe and Shakespeare. His inaugural concert with the orchestra is scheduled for January 11 at the Seoul Arts Center and will feature works by Italian composers Ottorino Respighi, Giuseppe Verdi, and Gioachino Rossini.

Photo courtesy of Yasuko Kageyama