Alumnus Cho In-woo(Department of Composition, Class of '18), a composer under SM Entertainment’s classical label 'SM Classics,' participated as an arranger for the 13th Allkidstra Regular Concert hosted by the social welfare foundation 'Walking With Us.' Held at the Bucheon Arts Center on December 2, the concert was themed under the subtitle 'Allkidstella.' Allkidstra is a youth wind orchestra formed for children in culturally marginalized groups, characterized by its unique composition of only wind instruments and no strings.

Cho took charge of the arranging work to musically implement the performance's main theme, ‘Space,’ through the OST of the movie Interstellar and K-POP. He completed a 10-minute medley by weaving together ‘First Step,’ the representative track of Interstellar, and‘Running Out’ of modern style.

At the venue, the majestic sound of a large pipe organ combined with brass instruments maximized the grandeur of space. Cho explained, “A pipe organ creates wind with a motor to vibrate pipes, making it similar in principle to wind instruments. It was a scene where the wind sounds produced by the children and the unique tone of the organ harmonized without any sense of disparity.”

In the following encore stage, Fly Up by the SM idol group RIIZE was reinterpreted into a wind orchestra version. Cho added, “The original song is an homage to 1950s rock and roll, so its exciting and hopeful atmosphere suited the children well. I gave it a unique twist by using heavy instruments like the tuba to highlight the funky bass line and adding a jazz solo with the clarinet.”

Cho cited the children's growth as the most rewarding moment of this performance. “I remember a child I met during a previous arrangement project who had grown significantly in both height and skill,” he said. “I was happy to be a small part of the process where children unite and build happy memories through the medium of music.”

Cho is currently a professional composer active under an exclusive contract with SM Classics. He is breathing new artistic value into familiar K-POP hits, such as Red Velvet’s ‘Feel My Rhythm’ and aespa’s ‘Drama,’ by arranging them into orchestral versions.

Recently, his work has been expanding to the global stage alongside digital releases. 'SM Classics Live,' an orchestral concert showcasing various arrangements including those by 토토사이트 벤틀리, has traveled through Seoul and Tokyo and is scheduled to meet audiences in Vienna, Austria, during the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday.

“I didn't target the entertainment industry since my undergraduate days, but my curiosity in crossing the boundaries between classical and popular music seems to have led me to my current path,” Cho recalled. Regarding SM Classics, he expressed pride, saying, “It is the only classical label among domestic agencies and a place that provides full, limitless support for the best results. It’s a company that stands out for its sense of mission toward music beyond simple profitability.”

What made Cho who he is today were his intense moments at Hanyang University. He built his foundation in orchestration through instrumentation classes and the ‘Performance and Criticism’ classes held every week at the Paiknam Music Hall. At the same time, he maintained his sense for popular music by balancing his studies with activities in the central band club 'Sorigaebyuk(SRGB)' and various musical activities outside of school.

“I remember the moments when my classmates and I put our heads together all night for final composition assignments,” Cho added. “The curiosity I had to experience and challenge various genres during college became who I am now.” Currently, he is continuing his journey with a new challenge: “I am pursuing a Master’s degree in Korean Traditional Music Composition at Hanyang University. I want to color Western instruments with Korean hues to introduce our beautiful music to the world.”

To his juniors, he urged them never to lose the essence of loving music, even amid a cold perception of reality. While it is true that the advancement of AI threatens the standing of artists, he advised them to cultivate pure inquiry instead of professional obsession while in school. Finally, Cho offered warm encouragement: “If you stay with a heart that purely explores and loves music, your life after graduation will be one that is with music in some form or another.”