Jarvi brings top French orchestraPaik Kun-woo returns with Schumann, Ravel By Do Je-hae Paris-based piano virtuoso Paik Kun-woo will perform a couple of concertos by Schumann and Ravel on Dec. 2 and 3 accompanied by Estonian-American maestro Paavo Jarvi. The two concerts at Seoul Arts Center will present masterpieces rarely performed in Korea, including “La Symphonie Fantastique” by Berlioz and “Offrandes Oubliees” by French composer Messiaen. Jarvi will conduct the Paris Orchestra, where he has served as musical director since 2010. This is a unique opportunity to hear the 65-year-old pianist renewing his focus on Romantic pieces like the Schumann piano concerto, after devoting the last few years to Beethoven’s huge repertoire of piano works. Paik, who has released the complete set of Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas with Decca, combines moving lyricism and insightful interpretations with everything he plays, whether it be a short prelude by Frederic Chopin or a grandiose concertos of Sergei Rachmaninoff. The Financial Times has called him “the rare kind of virtuoso with whom the poetic idea comes fNov 25, 2011By Do Je-hae
Pianist Levin reinvents ’old music’By Do Je-hae Fingers, heart and brains — these are the three things that a musician needs, legendary pianist Arthur Rubinstein once said. An example of this ideal combination would be the American pianist and musicologist Robert Levin, who is in Seoul this week for a series of concerts and a meeting with fans. After delivering a rare all-Bach program Monday at the Hoam Art Hall in Seoul, the 64-year-old presented a work never performed in Korea before — an unfinished solo work for piano by Mozart. Mozart at one time had been fascinated by the Baroque masters before him and realized he should write more music in their style. He embarked on creating a suite for piano in four movements — allemande, courante, sarabande and gigue — in accordance with the style of George Frideric Handel, the German-British Baroque composer. But Mozart never finished the last two movements, leaving nothing but a few first bars. Levin completed the last two movements, and he played the entire four movements Wednesday during a meeting with fans at an arts museum in cenNov 23, 2011By Do Je-hae
Top music agency head lauds SNS for K-Pop boomLee Soo-man, chairman of Korea's top record label SM Entertainment Co., said Wednesday the "Korean Wave" is fast spreading across the world through social network services (SNS), such as You Tube and Facebook. "There are many people all over the world who enjoy Korean music," said Lee in a forum in Seoul. "K-Pop helps expand the Korean Wave and contributes to its globalization." Lee has recently been in the media spotlight as shares of his agency have been on a roll for months on the back of K-Pop popularity across Asia and Europe. Since making its debut on the secondary KOSDAQ bourse more than a decade ago in 2000, the leading entertainment agency traded at 52,400 won per share as of Wednesday and has increased nearly three-fold from its price of 17,900 won in the beginning of the year. The agency represents the country's most lucrative pop idol group lineup, including Girls' Generation, Super Junior and SHINee. "SNS, mobile smart devices and other types of new media networks have helped build a virtual nation called 'SM Town,'" the CEO said. He defined a virtual nation Nov 23, 2011
Chung returns for 1st recital in nine yearsBy Do Je-hae Violin virtuoso Chung Kyung-wha will hold a series of recitals in December for the first time since 2002. The highlights will be remarkable sonatas for violin and piano by Mozart, Franck and Brahms. The 63-year-old musician held a press conference Monday at the Korea Press Center to announce the beginning of a new chapter in her performing and recording career. Since a hand injury in 2005, she has been teaching at the Juilliard School in New York. “I am immensely excited to be playing in Korea. It’s like a dream-come-true,” Chung said. “I enjoy doing recitals the most. For the next several years, I will make recordings that I truly want and continue to teach as well,” she said. After more than 40 years as one of the world’s foremost violinists, Chung is preparing for new recording plans that include Bach’s solo works for violin and the entire selection of Mozart’s sonatas for violin and piano. She has shunned playing them in public until now. The program of four recitals to be held in different cities has been selected by Chung for special reasons. ThNov 21, 2011By Do Je-hae
Maestro Rattle brings sweeping changes to Berlin Philharmonic OrchestraBy Do Je-hae Sir Simon Rattle heads into his 10th anniversary as musical director of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra (BPO) in 2012. His tenure with the world-class orchestra has brought sweeping changes in its culture and repertoire as well as the onset of unprecedented projects such as the “Digital Concert Hall” in 2009. Local classical music fans had a rare opportunity last week to witness how the British maestro’s unique leadership, combined with the outstanding musicality of the orchestra members, has firmly placed the 129-year-old institution at the forefront of orchestral innovation. Rattle is clearly beloved by the musicians of the BPO, who was voted in 2008 to extend his tenure until 2018. It was evident during his visit in Seoul last week that the conductor enjoyed the respect and affection of the members. Rattle moved to Berlin in 2002 to take over one of the most powerful positions in classical music that has been occupied by legendary conductors such as Wilhelm Furtwangler (1886-1954) and Herbert von Karajan (1908-1989). The press conference, rehearsal anNov 20, 2011By Do Je-hae
61st [Portrait] Younghi Pagh-Paan: art of sharing"Art is about sharing and exchanging expressions and forming a community." This is the sixth in a series of interviews with international pioneers among Korean artists that marks the 61st anniversary of The Korea Times, which fell on Nov. 1, and is sponsored by the Korea Press Foundation. — ED. By Lee Hyo-won PANICALE, Italy — “Molto bene (very good)!” exclaimed Younghi Pagh-Paan as she bit into a fig, fresh and juicy right off the tree, and wrapped with prosciutto prepared by the town butcher. The composer spun out sentences in a rhythmic mixture of Italian, Korean, German and English, depending on whether she addressed a neighbor or a German musician that performed one of her pieces. Regardless of the language, she spoke with the same “jeong,” or affectionate concern, typical of a Korean mother. Though the 66-year-old shares hearty classic local dishes with visitors, her refrigerator is stocked with Korean food. “Panicale is like North Chungcheong Province. I don’t feel like I’m abroad, as if I’m in Korea except that the people speak Italian,” she said. Nov 17, 2011
61st [Portrait] Notes of melancholy and wisdomBy Jesse Chun PANICALE, Italy — Younghi Pagh-Paan’s enthusiastic neighbor Bruno drove us in a beat-up vintage Fiat through the hills, in search for an inspiring shoot location. On the way, we found a beautiful open field, completely bare except for the surrounding trees and a single table made of layers of rocks. The composer sat down, gazing farther out to what was ahead of her — it was a sense of dejavu from the way she looked in her room, sitting by her piano, contemplating the notes that would fill her blank page. The photo shoot continued at her house, a cozy two-storey home that she shares with her husband, the composer Klaus Hubert. Pagh was warm and hospitable, serving us figs and prosciutto during lunch, and though the photo shoot lasted throughout the humid day, the genuine smile rarely left her face. As the sun was beginning to set, Pagh sat on her balcony looking out at the view of Panicale. With each click of the shutter, her smile began to fade. Looking somber, she quickly wiped a tear from her eye. Her smile reappeared shyly, as she said embarrNov 17, 2011
First record fair due in Seoul SaturdayBy Kwon Mee-yoo The first ever Record and CD Fair in Seoul will be held at Platoon Kunsthalle in Nonhyeon-dong, southern Seoul, Saturday, with a variety of vinyl records and compact discs available for sale and for viewing. On the first and second floor of the venue, some 40 local labels will set up booths to sell vinyl records and CDs - from rare limited edition albums and imported ones to local indie band albums. Participating labels include Luova Factory, Beatball Records, Leaplay Music, Pastel Music and record shops such as Purple Record and LP Love will also participate in the fair. Some out-of-print records and limited editions will be available at the first Seoul Record Fair. Khiov Music & Packaging, a company producing LP miniatures, will display their mini vinyl replica CDs along with the original vinyl records by artists such as Bob Dylan and Miles Davis. A series of performances celebrating the event continues throughout the day. Singer-songwriter Lee Jung-sun will perform folk and blues with band Lowdown 30. A special exhibit will feature Lee’s albums, both oNov 15, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo
Berliner Philharmoniker returnsTop German orchestra excited about Samsung app for 'Digital Concert Hall' By Do Je-hae The Berliner Philharmonilker started an unprecedented initiative to stream live concerts through the “Digital Concert Hall” program three years ago. During a press conference in Seoul, Tuesday, the orchestra’s leaders expressed their excitement for the future role of Samsung’s “Berliner Philharmoniker app” in bringing the program to a wider audience. “This visit to Korea is special for us because of our new cooperation with Samsung. As of September this year, the Digital Concert Hall is now available as an app on all new Samsung smart TVs and blue ray players,” Stanley Dodds, the orchestra’s media chairman, said. Dodds, a member of the second violin section, has been with the Berliner Philharmoniker since 1994. “This new cooperation with Samsung means that access to the Digital Concert Hall and its huge programs, content and documentation of the orchestra’s work, in particular with Sir Simon Rattle, is as easy as controlling a Samsung TV,” Dodds said. “We hope that this eaNov 15, 2011By Do Je-hae
Big Bang wins ’Worldwide Act’ awardKorean boy band Big Bang won the “Worldwide Act” award at the 18th annual MTV Europe Music Awards (EMA) held in Belfast, Northern Ireland. This is the first time for a Korean artist to win a trophy at the EMAs. For the newly created award which selects the winner based on online votes through the EMA official website, contestants representing each global region compete with nominees from other areas. The global finalists included Big Bang (Asia Pacific) Lena (Europe) Britney Spears (North America) Restart (Latin America) and Abdelfattah Grini (Africa and the Middle East.) The members of the band expressed their hope that this presents an opportunity to introduce K-pop to an international audience.Nov 7, 2011