Gentlemen Propose Love Concerts
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
Romantic holidays are around the corner and the biting weather might be a great excuse for loving couples, family and friends to huddle closer together ― and a group of gentlemen promise to make the occasion extra warm, with a classic touch through chamber concerts.
Seoul Arts Center will offer a two-part ``Love Concert’’ for Valentine’s Day and White Day, on Friday (rather than Sunday since it coincides with Lunar New Year’s) and March 14, respectively.
On Friday, members of the much loved ensemble M.I.K. will reunite on stage: cellist Song Young-hoon (Young Song), violinist Kim Soovin, violist Kim Sang-jin and pianist Julius Jeongwon Kim. Each sought-after soloists near and far, the four friends are credited with establishing a niche here for the underappreciated genre of chamber music.
A highlight of the upcoming performance is the premiere of ``Sere-monade,’’ by yet another popular young gentleman, Yiruma. The composer is known for paving a new path in Korea’s New Age music scene and has inspired a staunch following with his delicate pianism. He wrote the romantic quartet piece especially for the event.
The musicians will offer another contemporary piece, James Ra’s chamber work collection ``Half Moon.’’ Korean principal members of the New York Philharmonic are set to showcase the song set in Flushing, New York on March 12.
The Valentine’s Day concert will also feature nuanced works from the staple repertoire, including Astor Piazzolla’s ``Le Grand Tango,’’ Liszt’s Transcendental Etude No. 11 ``Harmonies du soir’’ and Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No. 5.
More romantic melodies by Brahms, including Hungarian Dance No. 1, will be presented on White Day, a local tradition where men give women candy. Prolific pianist Ian Yungwook Yoo, a former child prodigy who now teaches at Yonsei University, will join the quartet.
Other timeless scores to be featured are Elgar’s ``Salut d’amour,’’ Dvorak’s Piano Quartet in E-flat major and Massenet’s intermezzo ``Meditation’’ from the opera ``Thais.’’
The second concert will also offer a slice of modernity with an original score by one of the performers, Kim Sang-jin. The violist will play his 2001 piece, a ballad for viola and piano.
Tickets for each concert cost from 30,000 won to 60,000 won. A discount is available if tickets for both concerts are purchased together. Call (02) 580-1300 or visit www.sac.or.kr (Korean and English).