Yoo: Child Prodigy to Maestro
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
This is the 11th in a series of interviews with the next generation of classical musicians ― ED
Some time ago, a 10-year-old boy surprised Korea with an original piano sonata, and the big media spotlight trailed this ``Mozart of Korea.'' Now, after 20 years of studying abroad, championing several competitions and world tours, the 30-year-old is back.
In 1998, pianist Ian Yung-wook Yoo won First Prize by unanimous vote at the Paloma O'Shea Santander International Competition. After releasing his first Franz Liszt album under the Naxos label, the Juilliard graduate went on to perform across Europe and beyond. Recently, he made headlines for winning the Second International Beethoven Piano Competition in Bonn, Germany as well as the second prize in the 16th Vianna de Motta (where no first prize was awarded).
Appearing onstage with renowned artists like Mischa Maisky and the world's premier orchestras, he seems to be living a happy success story. But the transition from child prodigy to a mature musician, Yoo told The Korea Times, was far from easy. The growing pains hit hard.
``It was damaging to the psyche,'' he said about the special treatment he received as a boy. All the attention and pressure stalled his musicality, and he stopped composing. ``Before, (composing) was pure pleasure, but after my first showcase (at age 10), I felt so much pressure,'' he said. But now, he said it's all about going back to the beginning.
``I had to make a conscious decision to change from being a `child prodigy,' '' he said. The past five years has been a time of great ``self-transformation.'' ``I used to be a shy, sensitive, easily hurt little boy with a fragile ego. I was that stereotypical image of a child prodigy stuck in his own little world and full of himself. Now people are shocked to see how open and easy-going I am,'' he laughed.
A lonely world tour after winning at Paloma O'Shea Santander enabled him to reflect. What hinders the prematurely talented is that they have difficulty relating to the growth process normal children go through. They also have a lesser sense of awe and reverence for music than those who diligently devote themselves. ``It's disillusioning. But now I realized it matters how much time I practice and how much sincerity I put in,'' he said.
``Now I love performing onstage more than ever. It's like dating. The audience is like a date ― if there's no chemistry it won't work. Music reveals the range of human emotion and experience one can encompass, and life is not black and white. It has dynamics and you reveal your soul in different ways,'' he said.
``Music is not me. It's hard to realize for many musicians, and thinking that you are your music distracts you from devoting yourself to music. It's hard to take criticism, too. You need to separate yourself from music. While your playing does reveal many aspects of your personality and background, it's only a reflection of yourself,'' emphasized Yoo.
Going further back in time, Yoo's first steps with music weren't smooth ― not all child prodigies pick things up in a split second like Freddie Highmore in ``August Rush.'' ``I was five years old when I first tried learning the piano. It was a disaster,'' he said. He quit.
Unlike the typical idea of a pitch-perfect child prodigy playing a sonata after the first hearing, Yoo was different. In a sense, he mastered music theory ― a dreaded subject for many musicians ― first. He said his fondness with sheet music helps enormously, enabling him to learn music quickly.
``I was fascinated by the music's musical score and not primarily because of the sound. I love symbols and really enjoy looking at mathematical equations and things even if I don't understand all of it. I wanted to write down everything,'' he said.
A year after his initial failure, Yoo was inspired by ``For Elise'' and waltzed with the piano. ``Now I have so much fun with the piano, people tell me that as long as I have the piano I'd be OK if I'm stranded on an island,'' laughed the pianist, who was constantly drumming his fingers on an invisible keyboard, to the background piano tunes in the cafe.
``I try hard to achieve a sense of complete abandonment ― not let remorse or hesitation get in the way of the music,'' he said. The difference between a master and a student, he said, is that the latter just goes by the book while the former has a sense of conviction that translates to the audience.
Teaching helped complete his spiritual facelift. While working on his doctorate during the past few years, he also gave lessons to young pianists.
``While teaching I learned many things, like the power of living in the moment,'' he said. He helped students find the right attitude toward music, particularly those who don''t wholeheartedly appreciate music. ``Sometimes many buttons aren't on the keyboard,'' he said.
But one thing Yoo stresses to all his students is body language. ``Your posture dictates your attitude toward music. Music is a very physical activity,'' he said, explaining how one cannot play flowing Chopin pieces with the force and rigor of weighty Beethoven.
``Sound is equivalent to the gesture I need to make, with all different energies, because every color in music has a corresponding sound,'' he said.
``My flame was dying but it was rekindled by teaching and performing in Europe. Before, I was more interested in teaching because I was disillusioned in my playing and thought I was more fit to help others. Now, I'm in transition ― playing has a bigger role in my life. Another adventure lies ahead ― I can't see where the limit will be, but we'll see. I'm very excited,'' he smiled.
Yoo has achieved something of a miracle. The long gone glory of childhood celebrity is like a black hole, but he has escaped it. It was more than overcoming growing pains but remapping the human soul. Teaching and playing ― it doesn't seem too hard to ask for both. As for composing, he said he hopes to get back into it. It will be exciting for the classical music world as well to see Yoo pave a special place for himself
In his upcoming recital, Yoo will showcase a repertoire that brought him much luck in his career: Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 21 ``Waldstein'' and Six Variations on a Theme, as well as Chabrier's ``Bourree Fantasque'' and Liszt's Piano Sonata.
The Monday concert will be held at the Seoul Arts Center, located near exit 5 of Nambu Bus Terminal station on subway line 3. Tickets cost 30,000-70,000 won. Yoo will also appear as accompanist in soprano Im Sun-hae's recital June 30. Call (02) 548-4480 for both concerts. He will be recording Beethoven's piano variations in July under the Naxos label.