Korean pianist Sonja casts spell on audience
KCP’s new season opening concert draws huge crowd
KUWAIT CITY, Oct 19: Last Thursday, Oct 16, 2014, people crowded the Al-Hashemi II Grand Ballroom of the Radisson Blu Hotel - people from all walks of life including diplomats, well-known celebrities and artistes, particularly the musicians, both Kuwaitis and from Kuwait.
Amidst the crowd there were a number of students and even children. Everyone had come to listen to the classical music performed by the high class artistes and enjoy this important social and artistic event.
The event, organized by the Kuwait Chamber Philharmonia, was the traditional 23rd consecutive Concert Season — a piano recital by wellknown Korean pianist, Sonja Park.
Sonja’s recital was totally dedicated to the Romantic music — the first two positions from early Romantic composer.
Schubert’s Impromptu in B flat and Mendelssohn’s Variation Serieuses unveiled in front of the listeners an unreal world of dreams.
Sonja’s pianistic technique is at the service of her musicality and her imagination sometimes not only hypnotizes the listener but diversified the audience.
Silence
For the artistes — musicians and the actors soft phrases of notes or words (musicals ‘piano’) are sometimes the most cruel ‘proof of silence’.
The ‘real magicians’ have the ability to impose ‘total silence’ on the audience and the auditorium as a result of the audience becoming totally attentive and unknowingly absorbed in what’s going on around them.
Sonja’s artistic personality is adept to perform this miracle — the dream of every conscientious artist.
The first part was completed with the last Viennese Classic — Beethoven’s the most popular ‘Moonlight Sonata’, classical but maybe also the first Romantic hit.
It is but natural that with this piece the pianist nature won the virtuosic spirit. We had never heard before so fast played finale — Presto agitato.
The second part of the Kuwait Chamber Philharmonia opened with its tradition presenting the renowned artistes in the form of recitals some young talents from Kuwait.
This time it was Sonja’s compatriot, Korean teenager, Heui Sung Kim — one of the best students at the Kuwait Music Academy (under Karol Masternak) and the winner of several Kuwaiti and Gulf competitions. He presented Chopin’s popular Etude ‘Autumn Leaves’ with total concentration and deep understanding. Dedicated The entire second part was dedicated to Chopin’s music. Sonja Park began with the most popular Nocturne, thanks to the movie ‘Pianist’ by R. Polanski who won the Oscar for his works. (Somehow Chopin was awarded posthumously the most prestigious award). Fantasie-Impromptu and two Grand Waltzes were also part of his most popular compositions.
However, the 4th Ballade was a quintessence of the Romantic story. Chopin and Sonja’s stories, dreams, colors and — discoveries of precious details of feelings were really extraordinary.
There is a phenomenon of enormous popularity and understanding for Chopin music between the Asian artistes and the audiences.
Chopin’s Asian career began from Japan, nowadays dominates China, but Korea is the only country with Chopin Music Academy in Daegu as a part of big Keimyung University.
That Chopin Academy is affiliated to the native Chopin Academy in Warsaw, Poland and more often than not there are exchanges on huge scale of students, professors, ensembles and courses.
Celebrated
On the occasion of 200th anniversary of the Warsaw Chopin Academy and 115th anniversary of Keimyung University, the Polish Chopin Academy Orchestra and a huge delegation led by its Rector Prof Ryszard Zimak visited Korea.
The occasion was celebrated with the organizing of a concert and unveiling the Frederic Chopin monument on the Chopin Square in Korea.
NB: The Chopin Academy Orchestra and Prof R. Zimak visited Kuwait a couple of years ago and their memory of Kuwait is still alive at that Chopin Emporium part of the history of the Academy is the Music University. A majority of the lecturers at the Kuwait Music Academy also are from the Chopin Academy in Warsaw.
On most occasions people vote with the hands raised or by ballot but on some occasions they do ‘vote with their legs’ — by just showing their presence or by attending an upcoming event.
We were witnesses of this phenomenon this time in the form of a very high attendance and this was the best prize in the form of support for us at the Kuwait Chamber Philharmonia (KCP).
It was the best prize from the people because it made us happy and grateful to them, says Cezary Owerkowicz, pianist and co-founder of the KCP.
Nonetheless, the audience also voted with their hands: enthusiastically applauding the artistes for the brilliant performance — Chopin’s Minute Waltz. — one minute of eternal live music.