 German-born violinist Kim Suyoen will perform works by Mozart from her new album “Mozartiana” with pianist Evgeni Bozhanov Sunday at LG Art Center, southern Seoul. / Korea Times File |
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
Violinist Kim Suyoen is bringing something of a ``new impulse’’ to South Korea’s classical music scene.
Praised as a ``brand new world star’’ by the Danish daily Jyllands-Posten in her teens, the 22-year-old is fast emerging as an artist to watch out for, jamming with Maestro Chung Myung-whun in the hottest chamber concert of the season ``Seven Stars.’’
Though German-born and marketed as a German artist, Kim insists on carrying her Korean passport, and makes her Korean album debut with a fresh take on Mozart opposite a couple of the talked about young artists of the hour.
The tracks of ``Mozartiana’’ (Deutsche Grammophon Korea) brim with vim and vigor: Sonatas for Violin and Piano K. 454, 304 and 378 featuring the Bulgarian Evgeni Bozhanov, who was a finalist in the 13th Van Cliburn Piano Competition, and Viola Duo K. 423 and variations on ``Ah, Vous Dirai-Je Maman’’ (arranged for the two instruments) with the popular violist Richard Yongjae O’Neill.
The three sonatas are marked by constant push and pull between the keyboard and strings. Kim questions and answers, sometimes gently and other times with verve, Bozhanov’s declarative chords, ultimately achieving a bright balancing contrast to the pianist’s playing that constantly projects and protrudes.
It comes as no surprise thus that the collaboration was a result of much ``fighting.’’ ``We fought a lot until we arrived at an agreement,’’ said Kim, with a mischievous twinkle in her wide grin, during a recent interview with The Korea Times in Seoul.
``I wanted to focus on purity and honest expression rather than stay within the rules,’’ she said. ``Yes, the tempo is fast ― Mozart pieces change in character according to the tempo. Dynamism is integral to his work and working with Bozhanov gave way to a new impulse.’’
Bozhanov’s antithesis, O’Neill, provides warm melodies that compliment Kim’s nuanced chords. ``Working with Yongjae was comforting, and there was no trouble. We actually were planning on doing a trio, but decided not to. They (Bozhanov and O’Neill) are opposite ends and I was the middle ground,’’ she said. The recording session was quick and efficient and ended a day earlier than planned.
Kim’s music seethes with feeling but she burns off sentimentality ― never overdoing vibrato ― to reveal purer, elliptically plotted moods that subtly punch the air. They command your attention but are never imposing, displaying a natural beauty.
Her music is marked by assuredness, maturity and striking elegance but in person Kim was surprisingly laid back. She was serious about music without taking herself too seriously ― ``I began the violin by chance, and I had some talent and I really enjoyed playing the violin, so it was all just very natural,’’ she said as if it was no big deal.
Born in Germany in 1987, Kim began playing the violin at age five. By the time she was 10, she became the youngest ``jungstudent’’ (extraordinary student) at the Academy of Music Detmold. A champion of the 2003 Leopold Mozart and the 2006 Hannover International violin competitions, she is currently studying in Munich.
``I don’t like to say anything grandiose like music is my life. It’s a part of my life and a very important part of my life. I just want to try my best, and look for new impulses that can inspire something new,’’ she said.
She plans to release two more albums during her three-year contract with Deutche Grammophon. Her next recording project will feature Bach. She has tampered with a baroque bow before but won’t tackle period instruments in full (she plays a 1742 Camilus Camilli) and her repertoire includes modern and contemporary works by composers such as Isang Yun and Waxman. In short, Kim enjoys exploring the sound world of period instruments but believes that the score transcends boundaries set by time.
Bozhanov will appear in Kim’s upcoming recital Sunday at LG Art Center, Yeoksam-dong. Tickets cost 30,000-50,000 won. Call (02) 780-5054.
hyowlee@koreatimes.co.kr
