Return of pioneering Asian pianists

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

Entertainment & Arts

Fri, December 8, 2023 | 11:44

K-pop

Return of pioneering Asian pianists

Posted : 2014-10-14 17:07

Updated : 2014-10-14 17:51

Conductor and pianist Chung Myung-whun took second place at the 1974 Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. / Korea Times file

1974 Tchaikovsky laureate, 1980 Chopin winner to stage recitals

Seoul Philharmonic Music Director Chung Myung-whun will hold a piano concert. The conductor has rarely performed on the piano, except to accompany chamber music recitals.

"The things I love most in this world are chocolates and piano," Chung Myung-whun, a highly respected conductor who started his career as a pianist, said when he was just 7. At age 21, he became the first Korean to win the 2nd place prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition.

At his first piano recital tour in 40 years following the release of his first album last December, Chung will play pieces such as Debussy's "Clair de Lune," dedicated to his granddaughter whose name is Lua and Mozart's "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star Variation." He commented, "I picked songs that I thought were good bedtime songs for children."

Vietnamese pianist Dang Thai Son is the first Asian to win Warsaw's Chopin Competition in 1980. / Courtesy of Mastm

Chung's tour started on the 12th in Daegu Citizen Hall and will carry onto Seoul Arts Center Dec. 27, the Goyang Cultural Foundation Jan. 10 and Daejeon Arts Center Jan. 12. All ticket sales from Seoul will be donated to Miracle of Music, a non-profit organization.

Like Chung, Vietnam's Dang Thai Son is an Asian pioneer in the world of piano. The first Asian to win the prestigious Chopin Competition will give a recital in Seoul on Oct. 17 at Seoul Arts Center.

During the Vietnam War when bombs terrorized his nation, Dang practiced the piano everyday for 20 minutes. After the war, pianist Isaac Katz brought him to Russia to teach him music. In 1980, Dang became the first Asian to win Warsaw's Chopin Competition, which has launched the careers of many star pianists like Martha Argerich, Maurizio Pollini and Krystian Zimerman, among others.

Dang is considered one of the most respected Chopin specialists on the stage today.

During his recital in Seoul, he will perform pieces by Prokofiev, Schumann and Ravel. The pianist will also play on the 23rd in Seoul Arts Center with the KBS Symphony Orchestra.

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