Pianist Kim to explore Beethoven’s music, life

25-year-old musical prodigy says he feels warmth, compassion in Beethoven’s 32 sonatas


Pianist Kim Sun-wook, a leading young Korean musician, returns to his fans with a two-year-long project on Ludwig van Beethoven’s complete 32 piano sonatas, offering a performance that has become more mature and profound.

The 25-year-old pianist will perform all of Beethoven’s 32 sonatas, considered some of the greatest compositions for the piano, over a two-year period in eight concerts starting Thursday at LG Arts Center in southern Seoul.

“It was my childhood dream to perform all 32 sonatas by the great composer. I always thought that I should play his entire sonatas if I decided to devote my life to music,” Kim said during a press meeting in Seoul on Tuesday. “I think by the end of the project, I will have obtained much more ability to understand Beethoven’s music and life.”

Kim, who became the youngest pianist to win the prestigious Leeds Competition in 2006, will play the first four pieces in chronological order for his first recital at LG. He will continue performing the rest at the same venue until next year.

Except for his concert held on Monday at the Tongyeong International Music Festival, Thursday’s performance will be his first local solo recital in more than a year.

Asked why he is so passionate about Beethoven’s works, Kim said he feels comfort, warmth and compassion when playing and studying the composer’s music.

“Above all, I feel comfortable playing Beethoven’s music. I fit very well with his music,” he said.

“I feel attracted to the composer’s compassionate side and warm heart through his music. He did not hide his feeling at all … whenever he feels bad or is in love, it is all in his music,” Kim said.

So far, the pianist’s main repertoire has focused on German music including Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann and Schubert. But after the project, Kim said he will try to play pieces by French and Russian composers such as Tchaikovsky, Chopin and Rachmaninoff.

The star pianist is currently based in London for a three-year master’s degree in conducting at the Royal Academy of Music, to expand his musical experience.

Kim had previously thought he might want to become like maestro Chung Myung-whun, a renowned pianist and conductor who currently leads the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra.

“(Studying conducting) is a new world. But I learned while collaborating with orchestras of how it works. The collaborations definitely expanded my musical spectrum,” he said.

Last month, he performed with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, lauded as the top symphony orchestra in the world, under the baton of Chung. He was also an artist-in-residence for the Tongyeong International Music Festival which is underway in Tongyeong, birthplace of renowned Korean composer Yoon I-sang.

The artist revealed that he had suffered from stage fright particularly whenever he performed at big halls with more than 1,000 seats. However, after his “secret” wedding late last year, he feels that things have gotten much easier, more stable than before.

“My personal life is totally separated from my music life. I try not to be an extraordinary person in my personal life. But I think some part of my life has changed and become stable,” Kim said while commenting on his wedding band on his left hand.

The second, third and fourth installments of Kim’s performance of Beethoven’s 32 sonatas will be held at LG Arts Center on June 21, Sept. 6 and Nov. 8, respectively. The schedules for the 2013 recitals will be announced later.

Tickets range from 30,000 won to 70,000 won. For more information, call (02) 2005-0114 or visit www.lgart.com.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)