Performer and storyteller: Violinist James Ehnes returns to Korea with Bruch concerto

Canadian violinist James Ehnes / Photo by Benjamin Ealovega

For musicians who are hailed as prodigies from an early age, growing older can be a challenge. Audiences often remember childhood brilliance for decades and continue to expect extraordinary achievements. But world-renowned Canadian violinist James Ehnes, 50, has long viewed talent not as a special gift but as a responsibility.

"If you discover something you love and excel at, you have a responsibility to develop that talent as fully as possible," he said in a past interview.

Ehnes began studying the violin at age five and made his debut at 13, performing with the Orchestre Symphonique de Montreal. He sees himself as a musician who continues to grow.

On June 16, Ehnes will perform Violin Concerto No. 1 by Max Bruch with the Dresden Philharmonic, one of Germany's oldest orchestras with a history spanning 156 years, at Bucheon Arts Center in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province.

Ehnes first came to Korea in 1997 as concertmaster of the Juilliard Orchestra, an ensemble made up of students from The Juilliard School in New York. Since then, he has continued to return for orchestral collaborations, chamber music performances and solo recitals.

People walk by Juilliard performing arts school in New York, Dec. 20, 2022. AFP-Yonhap

Although nearly three decades have passed since his first visit, his approach to music remains largely unchanged. In a recent written interview with the Hankook Ilbo, the two-time Grammy Award winner and three-time Gramophone Award recipient described the role of a musician as that of a "storyteller."

"A performer must have his or her own voice," he said. "The process of developing one's own sound is ultimately a journey toward finding the most honest and appropriate voice for the story one wants to share with the audience."

Another keyword that defines Ehnes' musical world is "balance."

Alongside appearances with major orchestras around the globe, he has devoted himself to chamber music as artistic director of the Seattle Chamber Music Society and leader of the Ehnes Quartet.

"Working in a string quartet and performing chamber music has given me a deeper understanding of how collaboration brings music to life," he said. "It has also broadened my insight into the musical personalities of great composers in ways that would not have been possible if I had remained solely a soloist."

"Balance is important to me," he added. "I enjoy the solo violin repertoire, piano recitals, concertos and chamber music alike."

Ehnes also praised the Dresden Philharmonic, with whom he will perform in Korea.

"It is an orchestra with an unusually rich, warm and beautiful sound," he said.

Speaking of chief conductor Donald Runnicles, he added, "He is one of the musicians I admire most and also a very close friend. Making music with him is always a great joy."

Discussing Bruch's Violin Concerto No. 1 in G minor, which he will perform during the concert, Ehnes called it "a truly beautiful work that never grows tiresome, no matter how often I play it."

"It tells a very compelling story to audiences," he said.

In addition to the concerto performance with Ehnes, the Dresden Philharmonic will present Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, by Ralph Vaughan Williams, and Johannes Brahms' Symphony No. 4.

Currently touring across Canada to celebrate his 50th birthday, Ehnes also reflected on what constitutes a successful performance.

"For me, a successful performance is one in which I am able to communicate what I intended to express," he said.

"As time passes, the things I find important in music and the stories I want to tell through it naturally evolve. Performers are, after all, human beings who continue to grow, and I believe our understanding of music inevitably deepens along with that growth."

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.