Anna Jiwon Park has been covering the politics at The Korea Times since the summer of 2024, when she joined the press pool for the Office of the President in Korea. Prior to that, she spent about five years reporting extensively on financial markets, regulatory authorities and the financial industry. She joined The Korea Times in 2019 after spending eight years as a broadcast journalist at Arirang TV, Korea’s leading global broadcaster, covering politics, defense and culture.
Pianist Sunwoo Yekwon on tour with the Schumanns' repertoires
Pianist Sunwoo Yekwon plays Schumann's “Fantasie in C Major, Op.17” during a press conference in Seoul, Monday. Sunwoo is giving recitals across the nation until June 1. Courtesy of MOC Production
By Anna J. Park
By Anna J. Park
Sunwoo Yekwon, 30, is currently on a nationwide tour with piano recitals focusing on the repertoires of the Schumanns ― Clara and Robert ― and Brahms. These recitals are his first national tour, with a collection of compositions the pianist has carefully chosen himself, since he won the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in 2017.
“I personally felt really close to works by the Schummans and Brahms. Also, this year marks the 200th anniversary of the birth of Clara Schumann. … The three close musicians musically influenced one another, giving birth to incredibly precious music. On this tour, I play works mainly by these three composers,” said Sunwoo, during a press conference in Seoul, Monday.
Under the title of “My Clara,” his selection of compositions includes Clara Schumann's “Notturno in F Major, Op.6-2,” Robert Schumann's “Fantasie in C Major, Op.17,” and Brahms' “Piano Sonata No.3 in F Minor, Op.5.” Sunwoo explained the pieces have a wide range of emotional reach.
“The selection could be a little difficult for the general public; even classical music enthusiasts might have difficulty understanding. Yet, I really hope the audience members can fill their hearts filled with happiness. For those who are weary in life or who live with empty hearts, I hope this music can console them,” he said.
The pianist added he personally loves every piece that he'll be performing. “I love them all. They are all musically superb pieces and they touch on deep human emotions.”
Pianist Sunwoo Yekwon plays Schumann's “Fantasie in C Major, Op.17” during a press conference in Seoul, Monday. He is currently giving recitals across the nation until June 1, focusing on the repertoires of Clara and Robert Schumman and Brahms. Courtesy of MOC Production
Sunwoo kicked off the national tour Thursday in the southern city of Ulsan, and will continue until June 1, with his final recital at the Seoul Arts Center. During the tour, he will perform in Suwon, Gwangju, Daegu and Busan among others. He said he picked the 10 cities out of numerous requests from concert halls around the country.
“About 40 concert halls requested me to perform during this recital tour. That's almost every concert hall in Korea. However, considering my physical ability to perform at my best, I had to choose only 10 cities, considering the representative cities of each region and their concert halls' acoustics.”
Sunwoo is a busy performer. This year alone, he has held concerts in Japan, Hong Kong, the U.S. and Italy. He also has performances scheduled until 2021. Yet, he said the life of soloist is not easy; his love for music and friendship with fellow musicians helps him to continue.
“The life of soloist is very lonely, so often times I am fatigued. And so I find interacting with fellow musicians helps me to refresh and recharge myself. I am close to members of Novus String Quartet, as we live in the same apartment complex in Berlin. There are also many other performers I share friendships with. Conversing with them gives me comfort, as we all face difficulties and share the same love for music,” he said.
When asked about his future plans, the talented Korean pianist said he hopes to continue his performing career with the same level of passion.
“I hope to play music and perform with the same genuine spirit I do now. Every time I give a performance, I feel emotionally exhausted, but I cherish all those real sentiments that I feel every moment. All my life, I hope to perform with those strong emotions, passionately and enthusiastically,” he said.
Sunwoo attended the Yewon School in Korea, then continued his music studies at the Curtis Institute of Music, the Julliard School, and the Mannes School of Music. He now studies under Bernd Goetzke in Hannover. He took the first prize in a whopping eight international piano competitions, including the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, Sendai International Music Competition, Florida International Piano Competition, and Interlaken Classics Competition.