By Han Sang-hee
Staff reporter
Pianist George Winston is known for his poetic and melodic scores around the world, but the 61-year-old pianist is far from considering himself a ``master.''
He says he thinks he's ``half-way there,'' trying to improve his playing and playing each song better. That's basically what is foremost on his mind every day.
Winston is on tour in Korea for the 10th time, performing in cities such as Goyang, Busan, Daegu and Daejeon.
The melodies he creates are peaceful and calm, but Winston himself is quite witty in person. When a camera crew came into the room for a group interview last week, he innocently asked if he needed to put on some makeup for the Korean audience, while he went around the room shaking hands with the reporters saying ``aksu'' (handshake in Korean). He would make a joke and whisper ``nongdam'' (joke in Korean).
His frequent visits here may have exposed him more to the culture, but the pianist said there was still so much to discover.
``Each time I come, I learn more. The experience is deeper each time. The songs are different each time I play. Each place is different, so that affects the song. This part of the world has a different feeling from any place else,'' he said.
Winston has two concert repertoires: summer and winter. This year, he will focus on the winter, playing autumnal works from previous albums and also his most recent ``Love Will Come.''
The album is a tribute to one of Winston's favorite artists Vince Guaraldi, the musician behind the soundtracks of the cartoon series ``Peanuts.'' The pianist interpreted the master's works in his own style, yet managed to keep that melodic and poetic vibe intact.
``I love his songs. I've listened to him since 1962,'' Winston said.
As the ``Peanuts'' feature children and seasonal holidays, such as Christmas, Valentine's Day and Thanksgiving, the soundtrack naturally became a perennial favorite, just like many fans of Winston himself.
Growing up in Montana, Mississippi and Florida, it was inevitable for him to be affected by the dramatic change of seasons and childhood memories eventually shaped him to become the artist he is today.
``The seasons were very different. Everybody would have been affected in different ways. Some may write, others would take photos or paint pictures. (For) me, it was music,'' he said.
The same goes for other activities, such as benefit concerts and albums. This was the same way he explained his donation and charity concerts. He was simply expressing his thoughts through music.
`` I feel like everybody wants to help out but everybody has different things they do. (For) the Hurricane Katrina (disaster), some people went down to build houses. I'm not the best builder, so I made the benefit record. Everyone wants to help out; we just do what we can.''
Winston released his first album in 1972 and for the last 30 years he has traveled the world inspiring fans with his music. Some call him a master, while others compliment him as one of Korea's favorite artists in the world (his Web page is offered in two languages: English and Korean), but it seemed that all the hype hasn't affected the artist much. Music was part of his life, like any other necessary duty. He appreciated and acknowledged music, but it wasn't something to be continuously praised upon.
``I think I'm half way there. It's not great but I didn't fail,'' he said, smiling.
Winston stopped listening to pop music after Jim Morrison from rock group the Doors passed away in 1971. It was the end of pop culture for the pianist.
``My interest (in pop culture) was waning anyways. The Doors was my favorite and there was no more (of it). Nothing else attracted me. People would come and suggest what I may like, but other than that, I wouldn't search for myself,'' he explained.
When asked if he was interesting in collaborating with other artists, or perhaps playing other instruments instead of solely focusing on the piano in the future, the pianist shook his head.
``No, just myself, a solo instrumentalist. That's how I hear it inside myself,'' he said.
Tickets for his concert cost from 50,000 won to 90,000 won. For more information, visit www.interpark.com or call (02) 548-4480.