Indulge in live classical music by the beach
Busan International Music Festival opens Sunday through Feb. 21
By Lee Hyo-won
Save for being packed on New Year’s morning with those braving the cold to watch the sunrise, Busan’s beaches during the wintertime are rather barren — devoid of summertime sunbathers or cinema enthusiasts flocking to attend the autumn film festival.
In recent years classical musicians have been slowly upturning the southern port city’s slow season as the serene beaches provide an atmospheric setting for live music. After a sabbatical last year, the Busan International Music Festival (BMF) has been reborn as a private organization and opens its sixth edition this weekend.
“During the winter Busan goes into a sort of hibernation but the BMF has revamped its arts scene and many concerts are taking place,” the festival’s music director, renowned pianist Paik Hae-sun, said in a statement.
“The number of classical music fans in Busan has truly increased. Last year when our festival took a sabbatical term, we received an explosive amount of inquiries from fans. We believe BMF was a great inspiration for the Busan Maru International Music Festival, which began last year.”
The New York-based pianist has been heading the BMF since its second season in 2006. She believes that the festival’s greatest strengths lie in its open structure. “In terms of administration, we have a lot of freedom as a civilian organization.”
The event focuses on giving young, emerging talent an opportunity to shine onstage, and moreover, meet and learn from veteran artists of the highest caliber. This year, pianists Cho Sung-jin and Song Yoo-jin will feature as young artist and rising star, respectively. “Students have the chance to interact with their elders during the weeklong event. It makes me so proud to see young artists take the BMF stage,” said Paik.
Fans will also have the opportunity to hear live piano performances by Paik herself — the first Korean national to make the finals at the Tchaikovsky Competition, her winning streak continued at the Queen Elisabeth and Leeds events. In 2009, she celebrated the 20th anniversary of her international debut in New York.
Also slated to appear is Shin Soo-jung, who is among Korea’s first generation of classical artists that paved the way for the genre. Sergei Babayan, an heir of Russian pianism a la Pletnev, will make his Korean concert debut through the festival. “In the future, we hope more artists will make their Korean concert debuts in the provinces, instead of stopping by while touring Seoul,” said the music director.
Violinists taking part in the chamber music-oriented festival include Lucie Robert, a protege of the master violinist Josef Gingold; Koichiro Harada, who is also an accomplished conductor; and the country’s irreplaceable pedagogue Kim Nam-yun.
Cellist David Gebert, known for his work with the American String Quartet and currently vice president of the Manhattan School of Music, and Korea’s living legend Chung Myung-wha will also take part in the event.
As much as BMF was founded to revitalize chamber music in Busan, the festival holds great importance in discovering and supporting talented artists from the region.
“Beginning in 2008, the festival expanded to include Busan-based musicians and foreign artists. We hope to introduce talented yet overlooked musicians and give them an opportunity to make connections both near and far,” said the music director.
Paik currently teaches at the New England Conservatory while raising her two children. But the former Seoul National University professor also assumes a chair professorship at Daegu Catholic University.
“The provinces lack infrastructure and concert opportunities compared to Seoul. As music director of the BMF and chair professor of Daegu Catholic University, I wish to support young talent in the provinces and help them find a way to expand their horizons.”
The Busan International Music Festival kicks off Sunday and continues through Feb. 21. Visit www.busanmusicfestival.com (Korean and English) for more information.