Farewell & Goldberg 2023

I chose to give my farewell concert at Seoul National University under the title “Ligeti’s Studio,” in honor of György Ligeti’s 100th anniversary. The program featured works by Unsuk Chin, Ligeti’s most significant pupil; Ligeti himself; and Schubert, whom Ligeti admired.
It was a deeply personal evening, performed in collaboration with my students, and presented as part of the SNU Ensemble Academy—the contemporary performance project I founded and nurtured as its director for seven unforgettable years.
“Ligeti’s Studio” took place on May 31st at Powerplant SNU, a new space destined to become a cradle for creativity and innovation at Seoul National University. My student Sunwha Lee performed Ligeti’s Horn Trio alongside Seoul Philharmonic players Sergei Lee (horn) and Haesung Choi (violin). I performed two of Unsuk Chin’s Etudes and Schubert’s final piano sonata, a profoundly meaningful work—for both Ligeti and for me. Another proud moment was seeing my student, Dr. Jung-Eun Yoon, give an insightful talk on Ligeti and conclude the evening with a beautiful performance of his Etude Arc-en-ciel—like a quiet “promise” for an unknown future.
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!


“Aller Anfang ist heiter” (Goethe)
Making new friends and meeting talented students from everywhere – at the Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival in Tampa, Florida, the Chicago International Music Festival, and the Artcial International Piano Festival and Competition (July-August)
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). I chose J.S. Bach’s timeless Goldberg Variations for both recitals.
On this occasion, I was interviewed by the Korean monthly magazine <Music Journal> and wrote a program note for Bloomberg series sharing my reflection on this master piece and my musical journey.
