New Voice in LA, Isang Yun in TongYeong

New Voice in LA, Isang Yun in TongYeong

New Voice from Korea 

On June 3rd, as part of the Seoul Festival and the LA Philharmonic’s Green Umbrella Series, I had the opportunity to perform the West Coast premiere of Concertino (2015) for piano and chamber ensemble by Juri Seo, a young Korean composer. The performance took place in collaboration with the LA Philharmonic’s new music group at Walt Disney Concert Hall.

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©Farah Sosa / LA Phil

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Isang Yun & Beethoven

 

In honor of the 30th anniversary of Isang Yun’s passing, I was invited to give a concert in his birthplace, Tongyeong, Korea, featuring a program of three of his works alongside Beethoven’s Archduke Trio. Isang Yun, the most significant Korean composer of the 20th century, spent much of his life in exile in Berlin. Although I also studied in Berlin, we never had the chance to meet in person—except for a brief greeting at his 75th birthday concert and a message conveyed through his scholar, Wolfgang Sparrer. In time, I came to understand why.

 

Our program featured Five Pieces for Piano (1958), Nore for Cello and Piano (1964), and the Sonata for Violin and Piano(1991), representing both his early and late periods. I was honored to be joined by Grammy-winning violinist Jennifer Koh and Kangho Lee, Dean of KNUA and distinguished cellist. (June 21)