My Impression of Korea - Korea.net

More documents

Recommendations

Info

CULTURAL FIGURE - 2 Credia ‘For Me, the Stage is My Home’ Violinist Sarah Chang BY LEE JI-YOON STAFF WRITER Sarah Chang reacts after her performance in collaboration with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on Oct. 19 From time to time geniuses appear in the world of classical music — and then are easily forgotten. But 29-year-old violinist Sarah Chang, who debuted as a child prodigy at the age of 9, is considered one of the most consistent violinists active in the international scene. The late violinist Yehudin Menuhin once called her “the most wonderful, the most perfect, the most ideal violinist I have ever heard.” In 1980, Sarah Chang, also known as Chang Young-ju in Korea, was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Korean parents who had moved to the United States for study one year earlier. Both graduated from the Music College of Seoul National University, Chang Minsoo, her father, is a violinist and her mother Chang Myoung-jun is a composer. Her mother put Chang on the piano when she was 3. But at 4 she asked for the violin because she wanted “something smaller and Violinist Sarah Chang Credia more portable.” Then she auditioned for the Juilliard School in New York at 6 and was admitted into the studio of the late Dorothy DeLay, violin teacher to some of the world’s great violinists, including Chang’s father. At 8 she auditioned with Zubin Mehta and Riccardo Muti, who were working, respectively, with the New York Philharmonic and the Philadelphia Orchestra, and both gave her immediate engagements. She was possibly the youngest violinist ever to record — at the age of 9. Her first album, entitled “Debut,” quickly reached Billboard’s best-sellers. She has collaborated with most major orchestras, including the New York Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Chicago Symphony, the Boston Symphony, the Berlin Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic. In 2006 Newsweek magazine named her one of the eight top achieving females in the United States. In the article accompanying the announcement, she wrote about the early start of her social career, saying: “I think having a career at such an early age kept me focused. We schedule at least two to three years in advance in the classical industry. I felt so grounded and so grateful to already know what it was that I wanted to do with my life.” She is one of the most sought-after musicians in the world, performing 100 to 150 concerts per year. It is a well-known story that she asked for a three-month break at 17, and took it when she was 20 after her agency rearranged her schedule for three years. “For me, the stage is my home. I love the adrenaline rush you get from having a live audience in front of you,” she said in the Newsweek article. In 2002 she performed in Pyongyang with South and North Korean orchestras. It was an unforgettable experience for the Korean- American musician. “I’m so fortunate to be a musician, and at that moment (in Pyongyang), I genuinely felt that music is the one and only universal language,” she said. ■ Her first album “Debut” (top) and others 34 KOREA NOVEMBER 2008 NOVEMBER 2008 KOREA 35
PEOPLE Jung Sung-ha Korean Guitar Prodigy Rises as a Star on the Web BY LEE JI-YOON STAFF WRITER Guitar prodigy Jung Sung-ha AKorean guitar prodigy has become a star on the Web because of video clips he posted on the U.S. videosharing website YouTube (http://youtube.com/ user/jwcfree). Jung Sung-ha, 12, began learning the guitar just three years ago and is already a household name among Koreans after he appeared on a TV program playing masterpieces of popular musicians such as the Beetles, Eric Clapton and Sting with great dexterity. Especially Jung’s finger-style guitar makes his performances more unique. He plays the guitar by plucking the strings directly with his fingertips, fingernails, or picks attached to his fingers. Not many guitarists in the world like the technique because players have to use each of the right hand fingers independently in order to play the multiple Yonhap parts of a musical arrangement that would normally be played by several band members. Impressed by Jung’s brilliant performance, despite his young age, not only ordinary listeners but also finger-style guitarists around the world send seemingly endless streams of praise for the boy. With nearly 2.5 million views, his performance of U2’s “With or Without You” is the most popular among some 100 video clips he posted since 2006. Recently the number of visitors has considerably increased after Yoko Ono, whose late husband is John Lennon, left a positive comment on one of Jung’s videos. “I just witnessed your performance of ‘All You Need is Love’! Thank you for a beautiful performance. John Lennon would have been happy that you performed his song so well,” she wrote, posting the video clip on her YouTube blog where she posts performance clips of her late husband and other famous musicians. Jung Woo-chang, father of the child genius, was also surprised at her comment. “Even though my son doesn’t know much about the Beetles and Yoko Ono, I feel great that his performance receives attention from a celebrity like her,” he said. “Many guitarists are sending e-mails saying they want to teach my son and to be a music partner. I hope my son improves his guitar skills by communicating with various musicians,” he added. Last August Jung met Michel Haumont, a well-known French finger-style performer, in Paris and played with another guitarist Trace Bundy, who held a concert in Korea on Oct. 4. ■ Yoko Ono poses for a photo shoot Pianist Cho Sung-jin holds the awards he won at the Moscow International Frederick Chopin Competition for Young Pianists in Moscow on Oct. 19 Korean Wins Moscow Chopin Competition Middle school student Cho Sung-jin, 14- year-old, won first prize at the 6th Moscow International Frederick Chopin Competition for Young Pianists, one of the most prestigious music contests for children. Another Korean contestant, Rhu Eun-sil, 16, finished fifth. A total of 36 finalists from nine countries, including five Koreans, competed for awards during the two-day competition held in Moscow on Oct. 18 and 19. Along with first prize of $5,000, Cho swept other awards for best concerto, best polonaise, youngest player and the jury prize. “Cho is highly deserving of the first prize for his exceptional sense of tone and pianism,” said Nikolai Petrov, president of the Russian Academy of Arts and head of the jury. Cho started the piano at the age of 6 and has been educated at Seoul Arts Center’s music academy for child prodigies. He currently studies at Yewon, a prestigious arts school in Seoul. “I’m very happy to win the first prize,” he said, “I would like to be a pianist who can move people’s hearts through (music).” As the winner of the competition, he is scheduled to have a recital in Moscow in November. ■ Yonhap 36 KOREA NOVEMBER 2008 NOVEMBER 2008 KOREA 37
Page 3 and 4: Opening a communicative space betwe
Page 5 and 6: COVER Information on Autumn Festiva
Page 7 and 8: DIPLOMACY Yonhap Yonhap President L
Page 9 and 10: GLOBAL KOREA Gugak performance at t
Page 11 and 12: NATIONAL (From top) Visitors look a
Page 13 and 14: SCIENCE World’s Largest Solar Pow
Page 15 and 16: SBS Actors Park Shin-yang (left) an
Page 17: CULTURE The dog (gae) A legendary f
Page 21 and 22: PEOPLE Yonhap Lim performs a tradit
Page 23 and 24: TRAVEL Samcheong-dong is a sweet an
Page 25 and 26: TRAVEL A Trip Back to Olden Times S
Page 27 and 28: FOOD 1 3 2 Omegisul master Kim Eul-
Page 29 and 30: EVENTS Charity Market Turns into Mu
Page 31 and 32: EVENTS Biennale Transforms Busan in
Page 33 and 34: BOOKS Korea: Impossible to Possible

My Impression of Korea - Korea.net

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?