08.11.2009, Sunday's Zaman

Korean Violin Virtuoso Performs at Bilkent

On Friday evening, Bilkent Concert Hall hosted young Korean-born violin virtuoso Hyuk-Joo Kwun, who gave a riveting performance with the Bilkent Symphony Orchestra under the baton of İbrahim Yazıcı. The young artist has built a reputation on the international music scene as a versatile and distinguished young musician.

Speaking to Sunday's Zaman, Kwun said he unknowingly developed a special interest in the violin and the sounds it produced at a very young age. He first started playing the violin at the early age of 3 and has been playing ever since. When his mother became aware of his natural interest in classical music, she bought him a small violin and enrolled him at the School of Music at the Korea National University of Arts (K'ARTS) in Seoul, which enabled him to develop his talent. He later moved to Russia with his mother to attend the Moscow P.I. Tchaikovsky Conservatory when he was just 9. He studied in Russia for 13 years with well-known violinist Eduard Grach and can speak Russian better than Korean.

Kwun explained that when he was growing up, classical music culture was just developing in Korea, so he decided to study in Russia, which hosts some of the most famous music schools in the world and has a rich classical music heritage. "Now there are many good musicians and more people who are interested in classical music in Korea," he said. While he hopes to contribute to the development of this culture, the 24-year-old virtuoso said it's important that people start off with famous composers in order for them to develop an interest in classical music. Noting that classical music is a stimulating type of music that requires attention to understand the different aspects of the sounds, Kwun explained that when he was young, playing the violin was more about perfecting the technical aspects and not so much about interpreting the music. But as he got older, Kwun said he started to analyze musical pieces. "I started to think about what the composers were saying. So it was not just about practicing to make sure I play right, it was also about contemplating the music and understanding the depth of it," he said.

While his concerts are mesmerizing and emotionally compelling for the audience, leaving them wanting more, Kwun said he always finds areas in his performance that can be improved. "You must never feel like everything is perfect. It may seem perfect for the audience, but the performer must always feel like there is room for improvement. Otherwise, there will be a lack of innovation," he said. Noting that patience and practice are the key for remarkable performances as well as any other endeavor, the talented violinist said that he generally practices between three and six hours a day. He also mentioned that there are small yet very significant details that a player needs to pay attention to such as tuning according to the weather. Violins, like other instruments, need to be tuned according to the weather, as cold weather can make the violin higher in pitch. He also said that it's important to be calm and easygoing.

The gifted musician said his teachers are his role models and added, "Without them I would not be where I am today." He also noted that playing music is something that comes from within. As a young boy, he played sports and was involved in different activities but playing the violin was always on his mind. "It was what I wanted to do," he said, explaining that it is very important that people do whatever it is their heart tells them to do because that is the only way they can be successful.

While Kwun has performed in many countries, including Ukraine, Germany, Italy and the United States, this was the first time he performed in Turkey. The Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Ankara organized two concerts for him in Turkey, one in the capital and one in Kayseri. He also performs regularly in Russia and Korea and currently studies with Polish Professor Krzysztof Wegrzyn at Hanover's College for Music and Theater. He has won several prestigious competitions, including the International Tchaikovsky Competition for Young Musicians, the International Yampolsky Competition and the Paganini Competition in Russia. His repertoire for the concert in Ankara included perhaps Prokofiev's best-known violin work, the Concerto for Violin No. 2 in G minor, Tchaikovsky's symphonic poem "Francesca da Rimini Op. 32" and Mussorgsky's intricate "Dawn on the Moskva River" and "Night on Bald Mountain."

He played on a violin made by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini in Turin in 1774, which is on extended loan from the Kumho Asiana Cultural Foundation. Kwun noted that playing on a Turin violin is more difficult compared to other violins because the sound it produces is different. "One must practice with this violin for two or three years and adapt to it before you can produce good sound," he said, adding that while compositions of Beethoven, Mozart and Bach are harder to play on this instrument, romantic music is more appropriate.

Asked what his future goals are, Kwun said: "I want to continue to play concerts. I think I will study for a few more years, but not for too long, and then maybe I will become a teacher."