Gum Nanse

Currently, Gum is artistic director of Seongnam Philharmonic Orchestra and Hankyung Philharmonic Orchestra. In September 2015, Gum was also appointed as the principal guest conductor of Slovak Radio Symphony Orchestra.

In recent years, Gum has been active as a festival director. Notably he founded the 'Music Isle Festival in Jeju’ (since 2005) and the 'Manhattan Chamber Music Festival’ (since 2012). The Music Isle Festival in Jeju joined the European Festivals Association(EFA) in 2010.

In interviews, Gum often stresses that classical musicians should be "proactive and extend their talents to the audience regardless of venues". As an example, Gum gave a series of symphonic concerts in the lobby of POSCO Center(POSCO's main headquarters building in Seoul) since 1999. In the lobby of POSCO Center, Gum and Euro-Asian Philharmonic gave concerts with programs that included complete Beethoven, Tchaikovsky and Brahms Symphonies.

Since 1997, Gum has been primarily engaged in the activities of Euro-Asian Philharmonic Orchestra (now, New World Philharmonic Orchestra) which he founded. Apart from New World Philharmonic, he served as the artistic director of Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra (2006–10) and Incheon Philharmonic Orchestra (2010–14) consecutively.

During Gum's appointment as artistic director, Suwon Philharmonic's number of concerts increased from about 10 concerts per year to more than 60 concerts per year. Suwon Philharmonic Orchestra’s turnaround soon gathered media’s attention and in 1995, Samsung Electronics(headquartered in Suwon) built a new outdoor concert hall and rehearsal facilities for Suwon City and Suwon Philharmonic. Samsung Electronics also sponsored Suwon Philharmonic Orchestra for five years and its overseas tours in US, Canada, UK, Spain, Thailand (for 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok) for three years.

While he was in Suwon, Gum organized a series of special concerts with Suwon Philharmonic such as 7-hour Marathon Concert and New Year's Eve Concert at Seoul Arts Center. Also, Gum began a new educative concert series for young students in collaboration with Seoul Arts Center in 1994 titled, 'Young People's Concerts with Gum Nanse'. The concerts were particularly popular among young students and the concerts remained sold-out for six consecutive years from 1994 to 1999.

In 1992, he moved to Suwon Philharmonic Orchestra. At that time Suwon Philharmonic Orchestra was a struggling ensemble and had difficulties attracting audiences to their concerts. Gum concentrated on improving the quality of the performance and on refreshing orchestra's image.

In 1977, Gum was one of the prize winners (4th prize) at the Herbert von Karajan Conductor's Competition and was the first Korean conductor to be given an opportunity to conduct the Berlin Philharmonic. Since returning home in 1980, he was appointed as the conductor of KBS Symphony Orchestra for 12 years.

Gum Nanse, (born 25 September 1947) is a South Korea conductor. In 1977, he was the first Korean to win the prize at the Herbert von Karajan Conductors' Competition in Berlin. He is currently general director and artistic director of the Seongnam Philharmonic Orchestra and Hankyung Philharmonic Orchestra. He is also the founder and artistic director of New World Philharmonic Orchestra. He currently serves as the principal of Seoul Arts High School. However, according to a staff from Seoul Arts High School on August 16, 2019, he was recently decided to be dismissed, and a new principal will be inaugurated on August 28. Gum Nanse spent 396 days, nearly 40% of his school working days, in Seongnam Philharmonic Orchestra, a private orchestra, for four years. He was audited by the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education in early April, due to negligence in service and in violating the prohibition of double employment.