By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
Pianist Paik Hae-sun may have been performing on the world stage for two decades, but wrestling with the keys seems to be a never ending process.
``All I can do is learn and practice endlessly. We artists can perform only if the audience wants to hear us,'' the 44-year-old told reporters last week, over a homey meal with ``dongdongju'' (rice wine) in Insa-dong, Seoul.
She chose the down-to-earth venue over a more formal press conference to speak about before celebrating the 20th anniversary of her international debut with a homecoming recital, Sunday, at Seoul Arts Center. A new compilation album, ``Best of Haesun Paik'' is also in stores (EMI Classics).
``I've been so busy raising kids that this is such a luxury for me,'' said the mother of two, chuckling, about being able to drink during the visit. It's a break from her New York life, she said.
She made her debut there 20 years ago in 1989. It was a sold-out performance ― ``one could hardly have asked more from a debut recital. Ms. Paik seemed every bit the major talent her advanced billing suggested,'' said the New York Times.
Paik is a an icon in the local classical music scene, preceded by big names like Paik Kun-woo and Chung Myung-whun and succeeded by rising stars such as Lim Dong-hyek and Kim Sun-wook. She became the first South Korean national to become a finalist in the Tchaikovsky competition in 1994. Other big feats include prizes at the Queen Elisabeth and Leeds events.
Shortly after her critically acclaimed debut in the Big Apple, she made headlines here as when she joined the faculty of Seoul National University's College of Music at the young age of 29. She again created a sensation when she resigned from the much coveted position in 2005.
Looking back to the past two decades, she said, her 20s were marked by musical development, while her 30s were about personal growth.
``In my 20s, things worked out as I wanted, with one competition after another. But my 30s felt like a tunnel. There was a lot of gossip. I just went with what everyone said was right, but there comes a time when you realize that something is not suited for you,'' she said about quitting her professorship. ``It took me 10 years to realize it.''
She continues to appear on American and European stages, in particular the International Keyboard & Institute Festival in New York, where she is the only Korean to have been invited four consecutive times. She considered teaching again but raising her children, who are aged six and eight, takes up most of her time.
Paik gets about two to three hours of sleep, since she only has time to herself, to read and practice the piano, during the late hours of the night.
Does she encourage her children to pursue music? ``No,'' she said.
One thing she learned while teaching was that one can never pressure anyone into majoring music. During her tenure, many students switched majors. ``There were students who really should not have been majoring in music. It's something that you need to be willing to risk your life for. I have former students who are now doctors and lawyers,'' she said.
Paik herself was an ``accidental artist.''
Her parents were both doctors, so she was raised by her grandmother. She first struck piano keys at age four as a pastime ― in order to be rewarded with Chinese food delivery if she behaved well ― but she happened to be gifted and went abroad to study at the New England Conservatory.
Her father had not been wholly supportive, even when she entered an international competition. But when she won, her father finally gave his word of approval for the first time, saying that she may even meet Chung Myung-whun one day. He passed away shortly afterwards of cancer.
In 1993, Paik did indeed meet Maestro Chung when she performed with the London Symphony Orchestra. It remains one of the most memorable events in her life.
In her upcoming recital Paik will share with the audience questions that consume her thoughts these days through Liszt's Piano Sonata in B minor.
``I've been reading a lot about Liszt, and it's interesting that he was asking similar questions that concern me. Liszt wrote the piece during a very difficult period in his career, and he was torn between pursuing what was popular and thus ensure ticket sales and the road less taken, something that he feels is more faithful to his artistic cravings,'' she said.
Paik seems to have chosen the road less traveled, but in the end, the journey stays the same ― with the piano.