Key Summary
- Pianist Kun-woo Paik said he does not believe artists retire, during a press briefing in Seoul.
- Paik, who turned 80 this year and marked his 70th debut anniversary, will perform next month with much younger musicians in a concert titled Kun-woo Paik and Young Friends.
- The concert is scheduled for next month at the Seoul Arts Center in Seoul.
- The program includes works by Simeon ten Holt, Mozart, Berlioz, George Crumb, and Ravel.
- Paik also recently released a commemorative album titled Schubert and gave a related performance in March.
Main Story
Veteran pianist Kun-woo Paik used a press conference in Seoul to underline a belief he has held throughout his career: artistic work has no retirement age. Speaking on the occasion of his 70th debut anniversary, Paik said that as long as an artist retains a passion for art, the work can continue.
Paik, who is 80 this year, is preparing for a concert next month that will place him on stage with younger performers whose ages differ from his by as much as 65 years. The event, titled Kun-woo Paik and Young Friends, is set for next month at the Seoul Arts Center.
At the press conference held at Shinyoung Chamber Hall in Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, Paik said the world of music is broad enough to allow performers to find repertoire suited to their age and stage of life. He described working with younger musicians as part of widening that musical range.
Pianists Kim Hong-gi, Kim Do-hyun, and Lee Joo-eon, who also attended the event, said they viewed the collaboration as an opportunity to gain new musical inspiration. Paik said he had wanted to work with younger artists for some time, but had not had enough time while focusing on his own recitals. He added that after recently seeing how well they were doing, he wanted to work more closely with them and offer lessons and collaborative work.
The concert program spans a wide range of repertoire, from older works to modern compositions. It includes Simeon ten Holt’s Canto Ostinato, Mozart’s opera overture The Magic Flute, Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, George Crumb’s Music for a Summer Evening, and Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloe.
Paik said performers have a duty to present audiences with new music, not only works from the same historical periods that are frequently heard. He pointed to the inclusion of ten Holt and Crumb as examples of that approach. He also said he wanted audiences to hear that the piano can produce sounds beyond the familiar.
In remarks directed at younger pianists, Paik emphasized listening as much as playing. He said technical skill and repertoire matter, but that musicians must ultimately find their own musical voice. He also encouraged them to look at music broadly and to build the ability to choose repertoire that fits them.
Participants in the concert spoke about earlier experiences with Paik. Kim Hong-gi said he found it exciting to listen closely to other performers and work toward ensemble balance. Kim Do-hyun recalled learning in Paris and said Paik’s personality taught him that the music of a good person carries different energy. Lee Joo-eon, who is 15, said he studies Paik’s performances online and has learned from the way Paik interprets a composer’s intentions in his own style.
Paik also discussed his memoir, Kun-woo Paik: My Story, which recounts his musical path from childhood to his studies abroad. He recalled his time in New York in the 1960s, when he studied there during what he described as a golden period for arts and culture. He said he heard live performances by figures such as Leonard Bernstein, Luciano Pavarotti, and Vladimir Horowitz at venues including Carnegie Hall and the Metropolitan. He singled out a Carnegie Hall performance by Horowitz after a 12-year absence from the stage as especially memorable.
Paik said those experiences broadened his perspective and helped him grow as an artist. His memoir is scheduled for publication on the 20th.
Background
The supplied text says Paik marked his 70th debut anniversary this year and previously released a commemorative album, Schubert, in March. It also notes that he performed with younger musicians in Paris in 2021 under the title Kun-woo Paik and Friends.
Items Requiring Further Verification
- The article says the age gap between Paik and some younger performers is up to 65 years; this is presented without individual ages for all participants.
- Paik said he had wanted to work with younger artists earlier but lacked time while focusing on his own performances; this is a personal account.
- Statements by Kim Hong-gi, Kim Do-hyun, and Lee Joo-eon are subjective impressions and cannot be independently confirmed from the text alone.
- Paik’s recollections of past performances by Bernstein, Pavarotti, and Horowitz are historical memories and are not independently corroborated in the article.