Celebrated Pianists to Present Schubert
Tamas Vasary to Perform for First Time in Korea
By Bae Keun-min
Staff Reporter
Three celebrated pianists will hold concerts featuring works by Schubert.
Hungary-born Swiss virtuoso Tamas Vasary, 73, will team up with Korean pianist Kim Dae-jin, 45, for a duo recital at the Hoam Art Hall in Seoul on June 6. It will be Tamas' first visit to South Korea.
They will perform three Schubert pieces _ Fantasy for Piano Four Hands in F Minor (D940), Allegro for piano Four Hands ``Lebenssturme'' (D. 947) and Sonata for Piano Four Hands in C Major ``Grand Duo'' (D. 812).
Tamas, winner of the Franz Liszt Competition in 1948, is considered one of the most gifted pianists of our time. He has released over 20 recordings, among which were the complete concerti by Rachmaninov with the London Symphony Orchestra in 1977. Tamas has been Music Director of the Northern Sinfonia and Principal Conductor of the Bournemouth Sinfonietta.
Kim, graduate of the Julliard School, put his name on the map after winning the first prize in the Robert Casadesus International Piano Competition in 1985. Kim works as Music Director for the recently launched Kumho Art Hall Chamber Music Society. Both Tamas and Kim have built careers as conductors as well.
Tamas will also hold a solo concert on June 5 at the Hoam, presenting his famous interpretation of Chopin numbers such as Polonaise-Fantaisie in A flat Major (Op. 61), Mazurkas in B flat Major (Op.7) No. 1, and Nocturne in F Major (Op.15) No. 1. He is often called a ``Chopin specialist'' although he has refused to acknowledge that label.
Tickets for each of Tamas' concerts cost from 30,000 won to 50,000 won. For more information, call (02) 751-9607.
Pianist Huh Seung-yeun will hold two recitals titled ``Schubert Sonata'' on May 31 at the Gimhae Arts and Sports Center in Gyeoggi Province, and on June 3 at the LG Arts Center in southern Seoul.
Huh will perform Schubert Sonata in B Major (D. 960) and ``First Year: Switzerland'' from ``Years of Pilgrimage'' by Liszt.
Huh, known as a ``Mozart specialist,'' became the first Asian and the world's seventh pianist to release a complete recording of ``Years of Pilgrimage'' last year with German record company Ars Musici, earning the new nickname of ``Liszt specialist.'' Huh aims to further deepen her expertise of Schubert this year. Huh teaches at the Zurich Conservatory.
Tickets for the concert at Gimhae cost 20,000 won and the recital at LG costs from 20,000 won to 50,000 won. For more information, call (02) 780-5054.