Praneeta Mahajan
Hamilton, November 20, 2023
World-renowned South Korean composer and pianist Lee Ru-ma, popularly known as Yiruma, will make his much-anticipated return to Australasian stages next week, performing in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney before concluding his Oceania tour on December 5, 2023, in Auckland, New Zealand. With the shows in Brisbane and Sydney sold out, only the last few tickets are available for the Melbourne and Auckland shows, which is a clear indicator of the fan base the legendary composer has around the globe.
About the Artist
Internationally acclaimed for hits such as ‘River Flows in You’ and ‘Kiss the Rain,’ Yiruma is regarded as one of the world’s leading composer-pianists having amassed more than two billion streams and selling out concerts globally.
Starting to learn piano at the age of five, he pursued music studies at King’s College, London. At the age of 23, in 2001, he released his debut album and has since composed over 200 pieces, accumulating over two billion streams.
His tenth-anniversary album, “Best Reminiscent,” held the top spot on the Billboard Classical chart for 23 consecutive weeks and has remained in the top ranks for over 170 weeks. His 2021 release, ‘Solo’ achieved an impressive ninth position on the Billboard Classical Albums chart, maintaining continuous love on the global stage.
Yiruma has dominated social media channels with millions of views across YouTube, Spotify and other platforms. He has also collaborated with K-pop artists such as 2 AM, Ailee and Baek Ji Young. In 2021, Yiruma partnered with Samsung when he wrote and recorded the theme tune for the Galaxy S21 series with Over the Horizon.
The Oceania leg of Yiruma’s tour has been met with fanfare and box office success. According to Vian Lin, the organiser and Director for Harmonie International, the demand for tickets has been unprecedented and reflects Yiruma’s extraordinary virtuosity.
“It is truly a pleasure to be able to bring Yiruma back to Oceania after such a long wait. Excitement for the tour has been building for some time”, she said.
“We have seen great demand for tickets in all markets, with Brisbane and Sydney completely sold out. Only limited tickets remain for his Melbourne and Auckland appearances. We cannot wait to welcome Yiruma and share another world-class musical experience with audiences.”
About the Oceania Tour
Oceania fans can expect a career-spanning set as well as the live debut of tracks from Yiruma’s 2023 EP, ‘non è la fine’ accompanied by cello. Yiruma’s best-selling neo-classical catalogue will be brought to life by a string orchestra featuring piano, violin and cello.
The performances on the Oceania tour will celebrate the 23rd anniversary of Yiruma’s debut album and new recording, ‘The Rewritten Memories’ which features brand-new orchestral arrangements of some of his best-loved works from the past two decades.
Yiruma said in a statement that he is excited to be returning to Oceania after a five-year absence to launch his world tour and connect with audiences.
“If you are looking for soothing or healing time, then this is it. I invite everyone to join me and enjoy these special performances.”
Yiruma’s Oceania concerts will be the beginning of a global tour for the international superstar. Following this Oceania Tour, he will travel to Taiwan, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and other Asian countries, as well as the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, conveying his piano melodies to audiences worldwide.
Praneeta Mahajan is an Indian Newslink reporter based in Hamilton.
