Violinist Chung Kyung-wha cancels show due to injury

Violinist Chung Kyung-wha / Courtesy of Vincero

By Park Ji-won

Renowned violinist Chung Kyung-wha canceled her much-anticipated performances at the upcoming Tongyeong International Music Festival due to a finger injury, the international festival said last week.

The 72-year-old violinist was to present Bach's Violin Sonata and Partitas at the festival to be held at Tongyeong Concert Hall on March 28 and 30, but her performances were canceled.

Her agency said she was told by a doctor to rest for at least four weeks. Details of her injury have not been announced. However, the agency added it is considering rescheduling her performance for this fall.

Her performance at Tongyeong Concert Hall was one of the most anticipated presentations during the festival as it marks the 50th anniversary of her debut album.

The artist was also set to hold a solo recital at Namdong Sorae Arts Hall in Incheon last Saturday. But that event was canceled on the day of the performance due to Chung's injury.

Chung was on an almost 5-year hiatus from performing as of September 2005 due to an injury to her left index finger however she continued teaching students at the Juilliard School. Chung resumed performing in May 2010, playing Brahms' Violin Concerto with the Philharmonia Orchestra conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy in Seoul.

She has been actively performing since her 2010 comeback, even undertaking a global tour in October 2016 that saw her perform pieces from the J.S. Bach violin repertory in various cities around the world. She released her 33rd album “Beau Soir” in March 2018.