Celebrated South Korean conductor making Tucson debut

South Korean conductor Shiyeon Sung, the first woman to win the Sir Georg Solti International Conductors’ Competition, will lead the TSO in a concert bookended by Carl Maria von Weber’s “Oberon” overture and Stravinsky’s famous “Firebird” Suite.

In the middle of the program, which the orchestra will perform on Friday, Oct. 14, and Sunday, Oct. 16, is Ravel’s fanciful fairytale suite “Mother Goose” and Finnish composer Einojuhani Rautavaara’s “Cantus Arcticus,” Concerto for Birds and Orchestra.

Yes, birds.

The work, which the TSO will perform for the first time, includes birdsongs recorded near the Arctic Circle in northern Finland, according to program notes.

Sung is no stranger to American stages. She spent three years from 2007-10 as assistant conductor at the Boston Symphony Orchestra and has been at the podium of the National Symphony Orchestra in Washington and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. She also has guested with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

In January, Sung was appointed principal guest conductor of the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra in New Zealand.

Friday’s concert begins at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday’s begins at 2 p.m. at the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall, 260 S. Church Ave. Tickets are $18 to $90, half-priced for kids, through tucson symphony.org.