Album ReviewsKelly Clarkson `All I Ever Wanted' (SonyBMG) Grammy Award-winning pop singer Kelly Clarkson returns to the music scene with ``All I Ever Wanted.'' The album debuted on the top of the Billboard charts last week, proving that Clarkson is still perhaps the most successful winner of the hugely popular talent show American Idol. After the lackluster reviews for her previous album ``My December,'' Clarkson seems to have learned her lesson. This time, she filled her new album with radio-friendly pop-rock tunes like ``My Life Would Suck Without You'' and ``Don't Let Me Stop You.'' She shows off the vocal chops that made her an American Idol winner in stirring ballads like ``Cry'' and ``If No One Will Listen.'' -Cathy Rose A. Garcia Mar 24, 2009
Legendary Rock Star to Perform in SeoulBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Jon Lord, a legendary rocker from the seventies, will visit Korea to hold a concert at Sejong Centre on April 11. Accompanied by musical stars Steve Balsamo and Kasia Laska and the Seoul Art Orchestra, led by conductor Choi Sun-yong, Lord celebrates the 40th anniversary of his debut. Lord will offer a unique combination of classical and rock music, playing pieces from ``Concerto for Group and Orchestra'' in the first half of the concert and wrapping up with representative songs from his Deep Purple era such as ``Pictures of Home,'' ``April'' and ``Child in Time.'' ``Concerto for Group and Orchestra'' was a joint concert held at the Royal Albert Hall in 1969 between the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and Deep Purple. The upcoming performance could be regarded as a sequel, as Lord continuously seeks ways to bring together classic music and rock. He developed a fondness for classical music at age six when he learned to play the piano. He formed the band Deep Purple in 1968 after his meeting with guitarist Richie Blackmore and was also Mar 24, 2009
SAC Hosts Orchestra FestivalBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Classical music aficionados may be disappointed by the cancellation of tours by a number of foreign orchestras, but performances by domestic troupes will be in full swing throughout April ― with the Seoul Arts Center's annual Orchestra Festival featuring 17 top Korean ensembles. The 2009 program will take place from April 3 to 21, beginning with the Bucheon Philharmonic Orchestra. The opening night will feature Medelssohn's Violin Concerto with violinist Stefan Jackiw, a noted Korean-American who is known here as a member of the popular chamber ensemble Ditto and is the grandson of the famed poet Pi Cheon-deuk. The 17-day relay concert will continue with performances by a different orchestra each day. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the event, which began in 1989 with the opening of the center's concert hall. It has developed into a major music festival that gathers top national artists in one place. Expectations for the event are high, as top musicians will appear as soloists for concertos ranging from Brahms to Beethoven and BerlioMar 24, 2009
Young Star Pianists to Go On StageBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Youthful celebrity pianists will grace Seoul Arts Center this week ― Kim Sun-wook, 20, who is seen as a future leader of the Korean classical music world, will appear Friday with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra; Lim Dong-hyek, the 24-year-old with the following of a rock star, will perform Sunday with the Northern Sinfonia; and Evgeny Kissin, the 37-year-old Russian sensation, will perform a long-awaited recital for local fans on April 2. Kim & Tchaikovsky Kim Sun-wook will showcase a new repertoire, Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 3, in the first of the Seoul Philharmonic's serial ``Virtuoso'' concert, Friday. ``This is my first time playing the (Tchaikovsky) piece, so I'm really looking forward to it,'' Kim was quoted as saying by the Seoul Philharmonic. The young virtuoso has so far wowed international crowds with concertos by Brahms, which won him the top award at the 2004 Leeds Competition, and Beethoven, which he showed off here in January with the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin (Radio Symphony Orchestra). Joining the now LondMar 23, 2009
Seoul Jazz Fest to Open in MayBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter The Seoul Jazz Festival returns in May with a stellar line-up of foreign artists such as Latin jazz musician Omar Sosa; ``Once'' stars Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova; American singer Madeleine Peyroux; Dutch singer Wouter Hamel; and soul band Tower of Power. These artists will be performing at the four-day festival May 14-17 at the Grand Theater, Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, downtown Seoul. The music festival kicks off May 14 with ``Stylish Jazz Night,'' featuring Sosa, widely considered one of the most versatile jazz artists performing. Sosa, who was born and raised in Cuba, is a composer, arranger, producer, pianist, percussionist and bandleader known for combining elements of world music, electronic beats and Afro-Cuban sounds to create an exciting and unique Latin jazz sound. He has released numerous albums, including ``Sentir'' and ``Mulatos," both nominated for Best Latin Jazz Album at the Grammy Awards. In 2003, the Smithsonian Institution gave a lifetime achievement award to Sosa for his contributions Mar 23, 2009
Foreign Orchestras Cancel Korean ToursBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Amid the financial downturn, several big overseas orchestras scheduled to perform in South Korea this year have cancelled. The Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra, which was to feature twice in April under the baton of maestro Chung Myung-whun, and the Dmitiri Kitajenko-led Vienna Symphony's two December concerts were called off. Both orchestras withdrew plans to tour other Asian countries such as China and Japan. The Cincinnati Symphony has limited its Asian tour to Japan, calling off its performance in Taiwan, as well as its Korean debut with flutist Choi Na-kyung slated for October. Facing financial troubles, the American ensemble was forced to cut 20 percent from salaries for orchestra members, said Vincero, the local concert organizer. Meanwhile, domestic sponsors called it quits for the Pittsburgh Symphony's May concert. As various Asian tours are being called off, European and North American orchestras and music management agencies are also suffering. Until recently, orchestra performances were the cream of the crop among classicalMar 20, 2009
U2 Still Strong After 33 YearsBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Nearly 33 years after the band was formed in Dublin, U2 has racked up an impressive list of accomplishments that most rock bands can only dream of: selling more than 145 million albums, receiving 22 Grammy Awards, sold out concerts around the world and even a Nobel Peace Prize nomination for lead singer Bono. U2 shows no signs of slowing down. Its 12th album, ``No Line on the Horizon,'' was released earlier this month and topped charts around the world. The band is preparing for its much-anticipated ``U2 360 Tour,'' which kicks off June 30. While many of its contemporaries have fallen by the wayside due to drugs, alcohol or just plain bad music, U2 has stayed strong. The secret to the band's longevity and success? Bono says it's simply the chemistry between the members of the band, which also includes Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr. and The Edge, who all met as teenagers in 1976. ``The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. People tell me that, when U2 walks out on stage, even if they don't like the band ― they've been draggMar 17, 2009
Tight-Lipped Gallagher Lets Music Speak for OasisBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Oasis returned to the music scene last year with the critically acclaimed album ``Dig Out Your Soul'' filled with pounding rock tunes ``The Shock of Lightning'' and ``Waiting for the Rapture.'' However, frontman Noel Gallagher, not necessarily known as the most loquacious interviewee, doesn't seem to like talking about the music, preferring the music to speak for itself. When asked where Oasis gets its musical inspiration, Gallagher simply replied, ``smoking and drinking.'' Not surprising since Gallagher and his younger brother Liam, at the height of Oasis' fame, were once known as the bad boys of British rock. Like most brothers, Noel and Liam have often had disagreements, leading to persistent rumors about Oasis splitting up. Gallagher simply brushes aside rumors, saying ``it doesn't affect (the group) at all.'' Noel has been responsible for many of Oasis' hit songs, but Liam wrote ``I'm Outta Time'' which was included in their latest album. While acknowledging his younger brother's songwriting skills, Gallagher does noMar 17, 2009
Album ReviewsTaylor Swift `Fearless' (Universal Music) Taylor Swift's second album, ``Fearless,'' reigned at the top of the Billboard charts for 11 weeks until U2 knocked it down two weeks ago. It's not hard to see why the 19-year-old pop princess is such a phenomenon; she sings catchy songs about boys, writes her own music, plays the guitar and is cute. Songs like ``Love Story'' and ``White Horse'' hit just the right note with young listeners. Swift always writes about her personal experiences, so it was no surprise she wrote ``Forever & Always'' after breaking up with heartthrob Joe Jonas. She successfully blends country music with pop, making her a true crossover star. The special Korea version includes three of Swift's early hit songs, including ``Teardrops on My Guitar.'' -Cathy Rose A. Garcia X Japan `X Singles' (SonyBMG) Fans of legendary Japanese rock group X Japan were sorely disappointed to hear about the postponement of their upcoming concert in Korea this weekend. To lessen the disappointment, fans can pick up ``X Singles,'' a compilation of the group's memorablMar 17, 2009
Piano Duo, Classical Marathon Invite FansBy Lee Hyo-won Staff Reporter Among the myriad of piano concerts that take place in Seoul, there are two that particularly stand out: a duo performance by wife and husband Moon Yong-hi and Lee Dai-uk, Thursday at Myeongdong Cathedral, and a marathon concert featuring all five of Beethoven's piano concertos, April 2 at KBS Hall. Two Plus Two Renowned pianist Moon Yong-hi, 60, and her husband Lee Dai-uk, 61, will host a piano concert, Thursday, at Myeongdong Cathedral in downtown Seoul. This is the couple's first duo in seven years since their 2002 concert at Seoul Arts Center. Moon is known as the first Korean professor at the prestigious Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University while her husband Lee splits his time teaching at Hanyang University and conducting the Ulsan Philharmonic Orchestra. The two often took to the stage together as soloist and conductor, so this will be a rare chance to hear their four hands together on the keyboard. ``As husband and wife and fellow musicians we have walked a long path together, and so we seem to know each other's thoughts Mar 17, 2009