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Korean pianist Seokyoung Hong is a natural performer. His success at the Cliburn Junior Competition is a testament to this, as is his clear love for sharing music from the stage.
According to Hong, the spontaneity of performance is what he enjoys most. “Sometimes I don’t even know what I will play on the stage,” he said, adding: “Of course concerts are prepared and practised, but I make choices while playing.”
Hong was faced with numerous performance opportunities at the Cliburn competition, which consisted of four rounds. He played a different program in each. Highlights included Liszt’s Concert Étude No. 2 “La Leggierezza’’ in the preliminary round, Juri Seo’s Doremi Variations from his semifinal recital, and his final round piece, Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Op. 43.
Hong particularly appreciated the way these pieces borrowed from the works of other composers: Liszt temporarily abandons his technical intensity in favour of lyrical melodies; Seo’s piece plays on the simplicity of a “do-re-mi” motive, mixing it with the styles of Beethoven and other canonical composers; and Rachmaninoff makes a nod to Paganini’s infamous 24th Caprice for Violin, while toying with new potential for harmony in the piano.
Hong is currently studying at the Walnut Hill School for the Arts, and the preparatory program at the New England Conservatory with Prof. Hae-Sun Paik. He looks forward to spending the next year learning from his teacher and watching her perform. Hong describes watching her performance of Rachmaninoff’s second piano concerto (his favourite piece), as his “first experience being so focused, engaged, (… and emotional) while watching someone play music.” He aspires to perform like Paik and his other role models, and works toward this with dedicated practice, learning, and listening. Hong is also an avid composer, when he is not busy practising.
“There is no limit to learning music,” he said. Hong sees no end to his musical development in sight.
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