By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
Yamaha Music Korea, the local branch of the world's foremost instrument maker, will hold a three-day exhibition of their new Silent Grand Piano, ``2009 Yamaha Grand Piano Fair,'' from Feb 26 to 28. The free event will feature solo recitals by local rising artists ― Korea National University of Arts student Kim Hyun-jung and Kim Jun-hee, the second prize winner of 2007 Concours Long-Thibaud ― and take place at Yamaha Artist Services Seoul in Coex, Samseong-dong, southern Seoul.
Ian Yungwook Yoo, the winner of the 2nd International Beethoven Competition for Piano staged in Bonn, will shine on stage through a concert on Friday. The young virtuoso has been praised by a German music critic for his ``exquisite competence and imposing presence'' on stage. Following his success in the international competition, Yoo has been on a world tour, staging impressive recitals in North America, Europe and Asia.
For the last day of the event, professor/pianist Kim Dae-jin, the famed teacher of young pianists like Son Yeol-eum, will give an inspiring lecture entitled ``The First Step as a Global Musician-What I Expect from the Music Educators and Students.'' The Saturday lecture will be a valuable opportunity for thriving musicians to interact with the influential professor. A graduate of the Juilliard School, Kim put his name on the map after winning the first prize in the Robert Casadesus International Piano Competition in 1985 and went on to play in major concert halls across North America, Europe and Asia. Currently a professor at the Korean National University of Arts, the prominent pianist is also well known as a devoted teacher.
The participants of the event will have the opportunity to try out the newly launched Silent Grand Piano as well as other Yamaha Grand Pianos. For more information, visit www.yamaha-music.co.kr.
Korea Times intern Hwang Sung-hee contributed to the story.