Kumho Art Presents Beautiful Concerts
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
With the temperature dropping, there is nothing like spending an evening in a cozy hall with some mellifluous live music. For the last month of 2009, Kumho Art Hall is presenting classical music fans its Beautiful Thursday concert series featuring emerging cello soloists as well as seasonal programs with a couple of the country's hottest chamber music groups.
Two ``cello divas'' will take the stage for the first two concerts. Kim Min-ji, assistant principal cellist of the Orchestra Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Spain, will give a concert Thursday at 8 p.m.
The program features Schumann's Adagio and Allegro for Cello and Piano in A-flat major, Op. 70; Cassado's Cello Suite, and cello sonatas by Debussy (L. 135) and Rachmaninov (Op. 19).
A winner of the 2003 Astral Artistic Services National Audition, the 30-year-old has been praised for her vibrant tones and energetic stage presence. She regularly appears in chamber music festivals all over the world, including the Ravinia in Chicago. She plays a Jean Baptiste Vuillaume cello on loan from the Steans Institute of the festival.
Joining her onstage will be popular pianist Son Yeol-eum. Kim and Son regularly perform together as part of the Kumho Asiana Soloists and are expected to showcase their musical chemistry.
Next Thursday, Dec. 10, Lee Jung-ran, assistant principal cellist of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, will take center stage. She will offer pieces with a bit of flair and folklore, including Schumann's ``Five Pieces in the Popular Style,'' Manuel de Falla's ``Popular Spanish Suite'' and Piazolla's ``Le Grand Tango.'' Also included is Shostakovich's Sonata for Cello and Piano in D minor, Op. 40.
Israeli pianist Aviram Reichert, a newly appointed professor at Seoul National University, will accompany the cellist.
The 26-year-old cellist has been noted as one of the most talented cellists of her generation and in 2007 she received the Newcomer Award from the Music Association of Korea.
Both cellists will take part in the Kumho Asiana Soloists' concert on Dec. 24. Additionally, Kim will appear with the group on Dec. 30 as well as with the Kumho Art Hall Chamber Music Society on Dec. 17.
Tickets for each concert cost 20,000 to 30,000 won (8,000 won for children).
On Dec. 17, the Kumho Art Hall Chamber Music Society will greet fans with a Romantic program of Brahms, including his Piano Quartet No. 3 in C minor, Op. 60. Launched in 2007, they are the country's first in-residence chamber ensemble and are led by Kim Dae-jin, pianist and music director of the Suwon Philharmonic Orchestra.
In addition to Kim Dae-jin and Kim Min-ji, the concert will bring together various artists including violinist/Seoul National University professor Baek Ju-young, violist Steven Tenenbom and alto Chu Heui-myeong.
The Kumho Asiana Soloists, a group of now-grown-up child prodigy artists, will give Christmas Eve and year-end concerts.
On Dec. 24, they will boost the holiday spirit with Tchaikovsky's ``Nutcracker Suite'' for strings (Op. 71a) and Schoenberg's ``Transfigured Night'' for string sextet (Op. 4). Members include violinists Kwun Hyuk-joo from Russia, Shin Hyun-soo from Korea and Choi Ye-eun from Germany; as well as double bassist Sung Min-jae and pianist Kim Tae-hyung, among others.
On Dec. 30, Kwun and fellow violinist Kim Jae-young, violist Lee Han-na, cellist Kim Min-ji and pianist Son Yeol-eum will offer some of the most beloved pieces of chamber music: Ravel's Piano Trio in A minor, Kodaly's Duo for Violin and Cello, Op. 7 and Shostakovich's Piano Quintet in G minor, Op. 57.
Tickets for each concert cost 30,000 won (8,000 won for children).
For more information about the Beautiful Thursday series, call (02) 6303-7700 or visit www.kumhoarthall.com.