Farewell SNU & Goldberg
2023/24 marked a milestone year, as I began a new chapter of life in the United States, leaving behind my longtime home in Seoul.
On May 31st, the György Ligeti 100th Anniversary Concert at the SNU Ensemble Academy—held at the Powerplant of Seoul National University—became my farewell concert at SNU. My student Sunwha Lee performed Ligeti’s Horn Trio alongside Seoul Philharmonic players Sergei Lee (horn) and Haesung Choi (violin). I played two of Unsuk Chin’s Etudes and Schubert’s final piano sonata, a deeply personal and meaningful work both for Ligeti and for me. Another proud moment was seeing my student, Dr. Jung-Eun Yoon, give an insightful talk on Ligeti and close the evening with a beautiful performance of his Etude Arc-en-ciel. I am endlessly grateful to all my students and colleagues at SNU who have supported and shaped me, both artistically and personally. You will always remain at the heart of my journey.
Later in the year, I was honored to receive two special invitations: one from the Seoul Arts Center for its 30th anniversary concert (December 27th), and the other from Peabody for its new concert series at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C. (December 13th). For both occasions, I chose J.S. Bach’s timeless Goldberg Variations.
On this occasion, I was interviewed by the Korean monthly magazine 음악저널 (Music Journal), where I shared reflections on this masterpiece and my artistic journey. Below, I share the program note written for the JHU Bloomberg Center recital.
This monumental variation set by J. S. Bach exhibits excellence in every aspect. Not only does it demonstrate exceptional composition skills in terms of harmony, motive, compact and balanced rhythm, but it also follows a specific structure with three variations forming a unified whole, repeated ten times. In a symbolic sense, the number three represents the trinity, a source of perfection and creativity. The number ten signifies the completion of a cycle. For J.S. Bach, this cannot happen coincidentally. Nonetheless, it is not without humor!
Although the authenticity of the well-known story involving Count Kaiserling and the cembalist Gottlieb Goldberg is unclear, one undeniable fact remains: this music uplifts the spirit. It seems almost fateful that I chose to perform this piece for this particular concert. Reflecting on my past experiences, I realized that I often played the “Goldberg” before or after significant milestones in my life. The music of Bach has always been an irreplaceable resource for my soul, providing alignment whenever I needed it.
I feel uplifted to present this rare musical collision of devotion and meditation during this special time of year, marking both JHU’s occasion and my own.
2023. 12. 13.
