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A Two-Decade Journey with Beethoven

My exploration of Beethoven’s music has been a long and deeply rewarding journey. Since 2002, I have dedicated myself to performing his works extensively, including two complete cycles of the piano sonatas, the piano trio cycle, the violin sonata cycle, and all of Beethoven’s works for cello and piano. In 2015, this journey took on a new dimension when I began recording the complete 32 Piano Sonatas at Teldex Studio in Berlin. After years of commitment and artistic reflection, the recording was completed in early 2023.

Over the course of these two decades, much has changed—both globally and personally. Through it all, Beethoven’s music has been a steadfast companion, shaping my artistic identity and deepening my understanding of his profound compositions.

I am pleased to announce that my complete recording of  Beethoven’s 32 Piano Sonatas will be released on March 28 under Decca Korea. The album will be available on most streaming platforms and select online stores in Korea. My liner notes provide further insight into this remarkable journey.

To celebrate this milestone, I will be presenting a series of  Beethoven Sonata Recitals at the following venues:

– March 15 – University of Michigan (Britton Recital Hall)
– March 22 – Steinway Gallery Baltimore
– April 2 – Daegu Concert House, Korea
– April 10 – IBK Chamber Hall, Seoul Arts Center, Korea
– September 7 – Schloss Gödens, Germany
– September 11 – Schloss Friedrichsfelde, Germany

This has been an extraordinary artistic journey, one that has deepened my connection to Beethoven’s music in ways I could not have anticipated. I look forward to sharing this recording with listeners worldwide and to engaging with audiences through the upcoming recitals.

[Click to view Teldex Moments]

Early birds!

I am grateful to rejoin the Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival (July 14-16), Bowdoin International Music Festival (July 19 – August 8), Bay PianoFest & SIPC (August 9 – 13) this summer.  

Applications are open and filling so quickly. Amazing!

@Peabody, December 2, 2024

My summer festival schedule is now complete, and it’s thrilling to anticipate engaging with prestigious colleagues and talented students at these esteemed events, spanning from the west to the east end of America. There’s much for me to explore.

In addition to conducting masterclasses and offering individual lessons, I’ll be performing solo recitals at renowned events such as Art of Piano, Rebecca Penneys, and Admant. Additionally, I will be collaborating with faculty colleagues for a chamber music concert at Bowdoin.

[Click to visit my calendar & explore more about each festival]

It will be a memorable return for me to play with the Incheon Philharmonic Orchestra on June 21 at the Incheon Arts Center in Korea. Fifty years ago, in December, I made my debut concert with the same orchestra under the baton of the late Prof. Jung-Suk Kim. This time, I will be performing Brahms d-minor concerto with Maestro Byung-Wook Lee.

In May, I am looking forward to visiting Europe to give solo recitals at Schloss Gödens in Ostfriesland, Germany (May 17), in the historic Bösendorfer Salon in Vienna (May 21), and in the beautiful Palais Lichtenau in Potsdam (May 22).

Before embarking on the European tour, I will be giving a piano master class at the Manhattan School of Music (April 11) and a solo recital and master class for the Abell Master Series at UCLA (May 2) in the United States.

This year will be a milestone, as I took on the challenge of leaving the school and place where I was deeply rooted and shaped artistically to embark on a new chapter of life in a new continent—the United States. I had two very honorable and meaningful invitations at the end of this year and I chose J.S. Bach’s timeless Goldberg Variations.

One was for the inaugural recital on the newly purchased Steinway (New York) piano on December 13, as one of the newest members of the Peabody Conservatory faculty. This recital took place at the newly opened Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg Center in Washington, D.C., a space dedicated international studies. Just two weeks later, on December 27, I was privileged to perform another Goldberg Variations recital at the Seoul Arts Center, celebrating its 30th anniversary. On this occasion, I was interviewed by the Korean monthly magazine 음악저널 Music Journal, where I shared my thoughts on the significance of this work and my artistic journey.

 [Click to view the full interview 음악저널]

Below is my program note for JHU Bloomberg Center_

“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.”

Aug-2-2023 

A return to California after two decades: Artcial International Piano Festival & Competition as a jury & faculty. (San Francisco, Aug 2-5)

May-3-2023

Lovely 3 day-visit to HongKong Academy for Performing Arts to give piano master classes for young talents!