The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Revenge rises as key theme in K-dramas

  • 3

    Zebra captured after escaping from Seoul zoo

  • 5

    Sexual assaults by Korean diplomats continue despite zero-tolerance policy

  • 7

    Outback Steakhouse sees sales soar as it opens stores in large shopping malls

  • 9

    Samsung, SK avoid worst-case scenario as US 'guardrails' are less stringent than feared

  • 11

    Korean pension fund hit by overseas banking crisis

  • 13

    Childbirths sink 6% to fresh low in January

  • 15

    Campaign launched to promote equal treatment for multicultural families

  • 17

    Sandstorm from China forecast to push up fine dust levels in Korea

  • 19

    INTERVIEWRetired FSC chief finds inspiration exploring Koreans' ancestral roots

  • 2

    Consumers choose to travel abroad over purchasing luxury goods

  • 4

    Korean firms balk at donating to fund compensating victims of Japan's forced labor

  • 6

    World water day

  • 8

    Main opposition leader indicted, faces calls to resign

  • 10

    Jeon Jong-seo discusses her first Hollywood role in 'Mona Lisa and Blood Moon'

  • 12

    Apple working on expanding Apple Pay service in Korea: senior executive

  • 14

    INTERVIEWKorean adoptee in Germany reunites with birth family after 42 years

  • 16

    Investment banks compete for HMM sale advisory roles

  • 18

    Hyundai Heavy achieves world's first 200 million BHP milestone

  • 20

    Opposition leader indicted over development corruption scandal

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Fri, March 24, 2023 | 05:23
Marriage
Ryuichi Sakamoto to experiment with piano
Posted : 2011-01-04 16:17
Updated : 2011-01-04 16:17
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link

Oscar winning pianist-composer Ryuichi Sakamoto will give two concerts on Sunday at Seoul Arts Center, Seocho-dong, southern Seoul.
/ Courtesy of Vincero

'When Sakamoto blends the melodic with the experimental, he can be quietly magnificent.'

By Lee Hyo-won

The New Year kicks off with an array of star-studded events, including a much-awaited tour by Academy Award-winning artist Ryuichi Sakamoto on Sunday. The Seoul Arts Center recital marks the pianist-composer’s return to Korea for the first time in 10 years since 2001.

The prolific musician is known for critically acclaimed film scores and electronica experiments, new wave rock numbers as well as bossa nova and classical romanticism in the tradition of Debussy — but moreover infuses a distinct style that makes his pieces his very own, regardless of the genre.

The upcoming concert is part of the “Playing the Piano” tour that kicked off in Europe in 2009 and continued through North America last year. It is expected to be a unique audiovisual experience, with the artist playing a “duet” opposite a grand piano that is set to play his own recorded backings while avant-garde visuals adorn the stage. “When Sakamoto blends the melodic with the experimental, he can be quietly magnificent,” said the Guardian about his London tour in December 2009.

The program will feature tracks from his experimental album “Out of Noise,” which is replete with piano string-plucking and exotic nature-inspired sounds. Concertgoers can also look forward to hearing jazzy pieces from his 2009 recording “Playing the Piano.”

But for many, the highlight of the evening may undoubtedly be his signature original soundtracks, which often made the music more famous than the film itself such as with “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence” (1983). Old will become new again as theme songs like “Rain” from “The Last Emperor” (1987), which won him an Oscar, will be given a duo piano twist.

To add a more nostalgic touch he is also expected to perform tunes from his Yellow Magic Orchestra days, when he conjured up electro-pop mixes as a trio with bassist Haruomi Hosono and drummer/vocalist Yukihiro Takahashi.

Sakamoto rose to international prominence through the group in the late 1970s and early ’80s (Eric Clapton famously sampled their music). Afterward as a solo artist he ventured into various musical styles, from working on synth-heavy collaborations with Korean media artist Nam-june Paik as well as Iggy Pop to Italian futurists and pop artists such as Dee Dee Brave, David Sylvian and Marco Prince.

In the 1990s he worked on the music for prominent filmmakers including Pedro Almodovar an Bernando Bertolucci. He also worked on bossa nova projects with the genre pioneer Antonio Carlos Jobim in Rio de Janeiro, with their album topping the New York Times’album list of 2002.

Other interesting work include composing the score for the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, featuring in Madonna’s “Rain” music video and whipping up ring tones for Nokia.

Concert information

Sakamoto will give two concerts on Sunday, at 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., at Seoul Arts Center. Tickets cost from 50,000 to 160,000 won. Call (02) 599-5743 for more information about the concert.

To learn more about the artist, visit his official website: www.sitesakamoto.com. Fans can also reach him on Twitter (twitter.com/ryuichisakamoto/).
Emailhyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter
 
Top 10 Stories
1[INTERVIEW] Korean adoptee in Germany reunites with birth family after 42 years INTERVIEWKorean adoptee in Germany reunites with birth family after 42 years
2Retailers rush to adopt Apple Pay system Retailers rush to adopt Apple Pay system
3Will exempting foreign nannies from minimum wage boost Korea's birth rate? Will exempting foreign nannies from minimum wage boost Korea's birth rate?
4[INTERVIEW] Expert pitches Laotian rural reform to solve NK's chronic food shortages INTERVIEWExpert pitches Laotian rural reform to solve NK's chronic food shortages
5Daughter of North Korean dictator seen wearing $1,900 Dior jacket Daughter of North Korean dictator seen wearing $1,900 Dior jacket
6[INTERVIEW] Forbes-listed entrepreneur pursues partnerships with Samsung, LG, SK to help Ukraine INTERVIEWForbes-listed entrepreneur pursues partnerships with Samsung, LG, SK to help Ukraine
7Will Apple Pay launch boost local iPhone sales? Will Apple Pay launch boost local iPhone sales?
8[INTERVIEW] 'Welcome to world of art therapy' INTERVIEW'Welcome to world of art therapy'
9Indonesian students advise Korean bank on entering Indonesian market Indonesian students advise Korean bank on entering Indonesian market
10Korea to start mass production of KF-21 in 2024 Korea to start mass production of KF-21 in 2024
Top 5 Entertainment News
1Revenge rises as key theme in K-dramas Revenge rises as key theme in K-dramas
2Jeon Jong-seo discusses her first Hollywood role in 'Mona Lisa and Blood Moon' Jeon Jong-seo discusses her first Hollywood role in 'Mona Lisa and Blood Moon'
3SF9's Jaeyoon starts mandatory military service SF9's Jaeyoon starts mandatory military service
4Yoo Yeon-seok threatens to sue people spreading accusations about him Yoo Yeon-seok threatens to sue people spreading accusations about him
5Lee Som, Ahn Jae-hong to play married couple in Tving's new series Lee Som, Ahn Jae-hong to play married couple in Tving's new series
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group