Chung returns for 1st recital in nine years

Violin virtuoso Chung Kyung-wha will hold a series of recitals in December for the first time since 2002. The highlights will be remarkable sonatas for violin and piano by Mozart, Franck and Brahms.

Advertisement

The 63-year-old musician held a press conference Monday at the Korea Press Center to announce the beginning of a new chapter in her performing and recording career. Since a hand injury in 2005, she has been teaching at the Juilliard School in New York.

"I am immensely excited to be playing in Korea. It's like a dream-come-true", Chung said. "I enjoy doing recitals the most. For the next several years, I will make recordings that I truly want and continue to teach as well", she said.

After more than 40 years as one of the world's foremost violinists, Chung is preparing for new recording plans that include Bach's solo works for violin and the entire selection of Mozart's sonatas for violin and piano. She has shunned playing them in public until now.

The program of four recitals to be held in different cities has been selected by Chung for special reasons. They were pieces that meant something not just to her, but also two people who were instrumental in building her career.

The performances are dedicated to her late mother Lee Won-sook and legendary record producer Christopher Raeburn (1928-2009), who worked with Chung on her many recordings for Decca in the 1970s and '80s.

Brahms' "Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major" or "Regenlied" was a favorite of her mother's.

"This was written at the height of Brahms' career. It is the most nostalgic of all three of his sonatas for violin and piano", Chung said.

Mozart's "Violin Sonata No. 21 in E minor, K.304" is considered the most outstanding work among all of his violin sonatas and the only one written in a minor key.

The violinist has not played Mozart's violin sonatas in Korea since the late 1990s.

The Franck sonata is well-suited for Chung's warm sound. "This piece is dramatic and sentimental and has some incredibly happy melodies", Chung said. "During my entire career, Raeburn has been a mentor and friend. I dedicate this performance to him".

Chung performed the Franck sonata with pianist Kevin Kenner at the Great Mountains International Music Festival and School (GMMFS) in Gangwon Province in August. Kenner will accompany Chung for her recitals in Korea next month.

It was widely believed that Chung was done with performing after the hand injury. But in the last couple of years, she has slowly started holding concerts again.

In 2010, she played Brahms' "Violin Concerto in D major" under the direction of maestro Valdimir Ashkenazy with London's Philharmonia Orchestra in Seoul.

Chung is also preparing to record works by Mozart and Bach for Universal Records, according to a press release by CMI.

Chung's recitals will start on Dec. 19 in Incheon, followed by Daejeon on Dec. 21, Chuncheon on Dec. 25 and finally in Seoul on Dec. 26 at the Seoul Arts Center.

She will also hold a trio concert with her pianist brother Chung Myung-whun, music director of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, and cellist sister Chung Myung-wha in December.

"A few days ago, I went to listen to pianist Kissin (who was performing in Seoul), and he reminded me of how hard I used to practice", she said. "It's the responsibility of an artist to practice continuously in order to play a beautiful instrument", Chung said.

For more information, call 02)518-7343 or visit www.cmikorea.co.kr

By Do Je-hae