Young S. Korean pianist relishes live performance

[unreal.livejournal.com]

At merely 25, South Korean pianist Yeol Eum Son strikes one with her confidence and poise after her enthralling performances earned her the second prize at the prestigious International Tchaikovsky Competition in June.

"Actually I wasn't really thinking about going to any competitions after the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition...But it came out nicely and I'm happy about it," Son said, recalling the competition in 2009 where she came in second. Early next month, Son will return for a recital in Tokyo.

Van Cliburn International Piano Competition

The 14th International Tchaikovsky Competition was held with new screening methods under chairman and conductor Valery Gergiev, and the participation of many award-winning contestants, such as Alexander Romanovsky of Ukraine, Seong Jin Cho of South Korea, Daniil Trifonov of Russia.


"I enjoyed every performance there. I didn't feel like it was a competition," she said.

Besides winning second place, Son received two Best Performance Awards for Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21, and Rodion Shchedrin's Tchaikovsky Etude. "I kind of had confidence about playing the Mozart concerto...But I didn't expect the prize. And the Shchedrin prize...That was a nice surprise before I went to the final."

In the final round, Son performed Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 3, her choice for the occasion and a personal piece she had studied since age 16. "I dreamed about playing it in Russia, the most prestigious stage on which to play it."

Son remained relaxed through the event. "People told me I really didn't look like a competitor. I was not crazy about the results," Son explained. "One reason was that I was confident about myself...The second reason was that I didn't think the result would come out the way we expect [in such competitions]."

Such a philosophy was formed through her experiences performing in more than 10 competitions, including the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians, which made her the youngest second prize winner at age 11. "To be on the stage is really a pleasure for me."

The upcoming recital showcases Son's wide repertoire, featuring Bach, Debussy, Chopin, Kapustin and Liszt, as well as Shchedrin's piece she performed at the June competition.

"I wanted to show diversity. It is really one of my great advantages as a pianist," Son said, explaining the similarities between the composers.

Son began playing the piano when she was 3, playing on her mother's piano. "I really liked playing with it and making sound...I practiced consistently, but never overdid it," Son said, recalling her daily practice of three to four hours.

Son's winning the second prize in the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians at age 11 surprised everyone, not least herself. "I wasn't expecting anything...No one expected me to win, as I came from a small city."

Following her teacher's advice, Son continued her run of success at several other competitions, including the Gian Battista Viotti-International Music Competition in 2002, at which she was the youngest winner.

Son's recognition as a promising artist led to her first album--Chopin Etudes--under the Universal Music Korea label in 2004. Chopin was a part of her repertoire to which she had been devoted since she was 7, she said.

The young pianist dreams of recording all the concertos by Mozart--her favorite composer.

Having already performed with the world's leading ensembles, including the New York Philharmonic under Lorin Maazel, Son continues her studies under celebrated teacher Arie Vardi--whom she regards as her best friend--in Hannover, Germany.

With many engagements on the horizon, Son aspires to become an artist that people always want to hear. "[I hope] I can play better and better as I get older...and I can play my best till the end of my life."

Yeol Eum Son will perform on Nov. 6 at 5 p.m. at Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall. For information and tickets, call Samon Promotion at (0120) 499-699 (10 a.m.-6 p.m.),or visit www.samonpromotion.com.

Source: yomiuri & bucciflash