Pianist Kim Sun-wook Returns From London

Revisiting my series of interviews with "the next generation of classical musicians" that won me a little trophy from The Korea Times :) Mr. Kim is an old spirit possessing a boy's body, who seems to burn in his heart a steady, fiery love for music that leaves room for nothing (no one) else... He appears impossible to disturb like a rock, as he conquers the stage with unbelievable weight (spiced with dreamy head tilting a la Mr. Lang Lang). I look forward to his growth in the international music scene.


Young virtuoso pianist Kim Sun-wook, 20, returns from London to give a concert in Seoul, Saturday, with the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin (Radio Symphony Orchestra). /Photo courtesy of Vincero

South Korea’s hottest young pianist Kim Sun-wook has returned home after expanding his horizons in Europe.

Exactly a year has passed since my last interview with him as part of ``the next generation of classical musicians,’’ when he had just signed with international arts management company Askonas Holt. After spending six months in his new London home, the 20-year-old appeared slimmer and much more relaxed and confident.

But one thing remained unchanged, his undying diligence and ardent passion for the stage, which is ``like a drug addiction.’’ Just like last year, the Seollal (Lunar New Year’s) holiday meant practice time, especially before his concert with the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin (Radio Symphony Orchestra) Saturday in Seoul and Monday in Gyeonggi Province.

His secret to success remains quite simple, he said -- ``practice makes perfect.’’ This comes despite having already played Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 4, the featured piece in the upcoming performances, in 2007 with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France led by maestro Chung Myung-whun.

Kim decided to revisit the piece in order to show fans his musical progress -- a strong affirmation to display a different level of pianism.

The pianist rose to stardom here as one of the youngest winners of the 2004 Leeds Piano Competition among other major international events. . ``Nobody recognizes me here either,’’ he said, laugh, that Korean fans barely recognize him offstage. Moving to London was a stepping-stone to a larger classical music scene. ``What did I see in London? I saw my place as a debutant. There were endless performances by artists my age.’’












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Read a previous interview with Kim Sun-wook