Karos Percussion Ensemble – The World’s Leading Classical Percussion Ensemble
The Karos Percussion Ensemble is a world-renowned percussion ensemble composed of top-tier musicians, celebrated for their mastery of over 100 different percussion instruments and their unique ability to perform an extensive repertoire ranging from classical to contemporary works. Their performances captivate global audiences with the distinctive timbre and mysterious resonance of percussion, positioning the ensemble at the forefront of classical percussion culture.
Founded in 1989 by Youngwan Lee, former principal percussionist of the KBS Symphony Orchestra and one of Korea’s most distinguished percussionists and conductors, Karos has risen to international acclaim under his direction as music director and conductor.
Karos reimagines music from all genres through exceptional arrangements and sophisticated interpretations, garnering enthusiastic acclaim and standing ovations at every performance. Selected for the Korea Arts Council’s Performing Arts Creative Entity Support Program, the ensemble plays a vital role in advancing contemporary percussion music, expanding the repertoire, and defining new artistic frontiers.
Through numerous musical endeavors each year, Karos has elevated the global standing of Korean percussion. Their appearances at prestigious events—including the 250th Anniversary Celebration of Mozart’s Birth, KBS broadcast concerts, nationwide tours, collaborative publications and recordings with KBS, a featured performance at the 2018 PyeongChang Cultural Olympics, and a landmark concert at Vienna’s Musikverein in 2023—have showcased the artistic excellence of Korean percussion and explored new possibilities in classical percussion.
Notably, in their 35th Anniversary Regular Concert, Karos presented a groundbreaking program titled “Shake the World, Karos”, featuring the world’s first full percussion arrangement of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 “Choral.” This daring project demonstrated the ensemble’s pioneering spirit, pushing the boundaries of percussion and opening up a new realm of artistic expression.