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Korea Herald
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Violinist Yang In-mo on freedom found in collaboration
Korean violinist reflects on his evolving artistry ahead of two concerts with Orchestre de la Suisse Romande under Jonathan Nott In his 20s, Korean violinist Yang In-mo made his mark with high-profile wins — from the Paganini Competition in 2015 to the Sibelius Competition in 2022. Back then, most of his time was spent in solitude, immersed in rigorous practice. More recently, however, the 29-year-old's career has entered a new phase of collaboration. Performing with orchestras around the world, he is having one of his busiest seasons yet, having played 16 concertos, including several contemporary premieres. 'In my 20s, most of my time was spent alone, practicing,' Yang said. 'Now, almost every week I collaborate with a different orchestra. That exchange is my greatest teacher now.' 'Building strong relationships with them, exploring more repertoire together, and deepening our musical connection — I think that's the greatest privilege of the career I have now," Yang said. As he prepares to perform the Sibelius and Mendelssohn violin concertos with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Korea in July, Yang reflects on a season of transformation — not just in repertoire, but in mindset. 'This was only the second time I have played with the OSR, but it felt like reconnecting with old friends. Some orchestras are distant, but OSR was open and warm. It allowed me to be completely free,' he said during a recent online interview. Yang joined the OSR on stage in Switzerland on May 8 for Sibelius' Violin Concerto. Reflecting on the performance afterward, the conductor remarked, 'Inmo is, of course, an exceptionally talented violinist but more importantly, he's a truly great musician. We were both smiling as the concerto came to a close.' That sense of freedom has become central to Yang's current musical philosophy. Having performed Sibelius' Violin Concerto nearly 20 times since winning the 2022 Sibelius Competition, his approach to the work has matured through both repetition and cultural immersion. 'Working with Finnish orchestras and musicians has changed how I view the piece,' Yang said. 'In Finland, I realized drama doesn't only come from human emotion. Nature has its own intensity. Silence, stillness, sudden shifts — these are part of the Finnish sensibility and Sibelius reflects that.' Instead of focusing solely on rhythmic clarity, as many conductors do with Sibelius' complex phrasing, OSR conductor Jonathan Nott encouraged Yang to shape long, lyrical lines. 'It was the first time I felt a conductor guide Sibelius horizontally rather than vertically,' Yang notes. 'At one point, he even sang the phrase to show me his vision. That's rare.' "He's a very musical, lyrical and horizontal conductor, someone who communicates his intentions clearly to the orchestra members, and he's also someone who truly respects and supports the soloist," he said. Yang's evolving relationship with music is not limited to Sibelius. For the upcoming July performance in Korea, he is also returning to Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto — a piece he last performed as a child. While often labeled as 'nice' or familiar, Yang is determined to explore its deeper, even radical layers. 'Mendelssohn's music can sound overly polite if you play it safe. But there's fire and risk beneath the surface, especially in the final movement. His tempo markings are absurdly fast," the Berlin-based violinist said, adding, "While living in Germany, I've come to see the works of German composers with fresh eyes, and in the case of Mendelssohn, beneath all the refinement, I sense something adventurous simmering underneath. I thought maybe it was time to try interpreting that in my own way, especially while performing in Korea.' For all his international engagements, Korea remains the most emotionally charged stage for him. 'I owe everything to my Korean fans,' he said. 'There was no one person who pulled me up — it was the support of people who believed in me after the competitions. When I play in Korea, I feel a responsibility to show them my best self.' Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, under the baton of Jonathan Nott, will present two distinct programs on July 5 and 6 at Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul. On July 5, the orchestra will perform Debussy's "Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune" (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun) and Stravinsky's "Petrushka," with Yang joining as the soloist for Sibelius' Violin Concerto. On July 6, audiences can look forward to the Asian premiere of William Blank's "Morphosis for 42 instruments" alongside Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" and Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto, with Yang once again as soloist. Ticket prices range from 50,000 won ($36.80) to 270,000 won. Meanwhile, OSR will embark on its Asia tour on July 3 in Beijing at the National Center for the Performing Arts before coming to Seoul. It will then head to Japan from July 8 to 13, touring five cities including Tokyo and Kyoto. gypark@
Korea Herald
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Interview: French winds and familiar faces who sustain SSF's chamber music spirit
20-year-old Seoul Spring Festival of Chamber Music through eyes of four French wind players For a chamber music festival to continue for 20 years, many things must come together. Chief among them are a devoted artistic director, innovative programming, a stable operation and a growing interest in chamber music — a genre defined by its intimate scale, where a small group of musicians perform without a conductor. Equally vital are the musicians themselves — both the loyal artists who return year after year and new participants who bring fresh energy — who collectively sustain the festival's spirit and artistic quality. For this year's Seoul Spring Festival of Chamber Music, which began April 22 and goes to May 4, 69 artists have gathered for 14 performances. Among them are four French wind players: oboist Olivier Doise, clarinetist Romain Guyot, flutist Matthieu Gauci-Ancelin and horn player Herve Joulain. Doise, Guyot and Joulain are SSF regulars who clear their schedules every year for the two-week event. 'It was not easy to bring audiences to a chamber music festival. Korean audiences tend to prefer big orchestras and grand productions. Director Kang Dong-suk still fights to attract the audience, discovering new pieces not only for the piano but for wind instrument as well," Guyot said during an interview last week. 'We know we will play new pieces together — it has become a priority in our schedule,' he added. The clarinetist, who is the principal clarinetist of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Geneva and an acclaimed soloist and educator, has returned to the festival 12 times since the inauguration in 2006, making him the SFF's most frequently returning overseas musician. Doise, principal oboist of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and a professor at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, also spoke about the unique energy he feels from Korean audiences. He has participated in the festival since 2015, missing only 2021 and 2022, when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted international travel. 'Chamber music festivals usually aren't this long,' Doise said. 'Here, for two weeks, we can work, practice and rehearse — it feels like our home. Everything is so well organized that we only have to think about the music we play.' For the past 15 years, the musicians have returned to the same hotel in central Seoul, where they stay, practice and rehearse — a small but telling detail that reflects the festival's stable and well-established operation. For Joulain, returning to Korea each spring has become an annual tradition since 2014. One of France's leading horn players, having held principal positions with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and Orchestre National de France, Joulain said "Korea feels like home now." Flutist Gauci-Ancelin joined the festival for the first time this year, stepping in as a last-minute substitution just two weeks ago. Over six days, he faces a demanding schedule, performing eight different pieces. A professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts Graz in Austria and a member of the Karajan Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic, Gauci-Ancelin said, "Although it's my first time here, I know many of the musicians," adding, "I really appreciate the familylike atmosphere." France, one of the world's woodwind powerhouses, has a long tradition of nurturing wind musicians. In many parts of Europe, including northern France, coal miners once formed amateur brass and wind bands as a core part of their community life, Guyot explained, noting that these musical traditions helped embed a deep appreciation for wind instruments in the culture. 'So originally, wind instruments were popular instruments — they were played for dancing, for parties, for funerals and even for military ceremonies," he said, explaining that today, woodwind instruments remain a popular choice in France, compared to the stronger preference for piano and string instruments often seen in Korea. Throughout the festival, the four musicians are performing in different ensembles alongside other instrumentalists, culminating in a joint appearance for the quintet of Bizet's 'Carmen' in the closing performance Sunday. Launched in 2006 by violinist Kang Dong-suk with support from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the SSF emerged in a musical landscape that lacked long-term, stable platforms for chamber music.
Korea Herald
28-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Interview: French winds and familiar faces who sustain SFF's chamber music spirit
20-year-old Seoul Spring Chamber Music Festival through eyes of four French wind players For a chamber music festival to continue for 20 years, many things must come together. Chief among them are a devoted artistic director, innovative programming, a stable operation and a growing interest in chamber music -- a genre defined by its intimate scale, where a small group of musicians perform without a conductor. Equally vital are the musicians themselves -- both the loyal artists who return year after year and the new participants who bring fresh energy -- who collectively sustain the festival's spirit and artistic quality. For this year's Seoul Spring Chamber Music Festival, taking place April 22-May 4, 69 artists have gathered for 14 performances. Among them are four French wind players: oboist Olivier Doise, clarinetist Romain Guyot, flutist Matthieu Gauci-Ancelin and horn player Herve Joulain. Doise, Guyot and Joulain are SSF regulars who clear their schedules every year for the two-week event. 'It was not easy to bring audiences to a chamber music festival. Korean audiences tend to prefer big orchestras and grand productions. Director Kang Dong-suk still fights to attract the audience, discovering new pieces not only for the piano but for wind instrument as well," Guyot said during an interview last week. 'We know we will play new pieces togehter -- it has become a priority in our schedule,' he added. The clarinetist, who is principal clarinetist of the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Geneva and an acclaimed soloist and educator, has returned to the festival for 12 times since the inauguration in 2006, the most frequently returning overseas musician for the SFF. Doise, principal oboist of the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and a professor at the Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique et de Danse de Paris, also spoke about the unique energy he feels from Korean audiences. He has participated in the festival since 2015, missing only 2021 and 2022 when the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted international travel. 'Chamber music festivals usually aren't this long,' Doise said. 'Here, for two weeks, we can work, practice and rehearse — it feels like our home. Everything is so well organized that we only have to think about the music we play.' For the past 15 years, the musicians have returned to the same hotel in central Seoul, where they stay, practice and rehearse -- a small but telling detail that reflects the festival's stable and well-established operation. For Joulain, returning to Korea each spring has become an annual tradition since 2014. One of France's leading horn players, having held principal positions with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and Orchestre National de France, Joulain said "Korea feels like home now." Flutist Gauci-Ancelin joined the festival for the first time this year, stepping in as a last-minute substitute just two weeks ago. Over six days, he faces a demanding schedule, performing eight different pieces. A frequent guest principal flutist with the Berlin Philharmonic, Gauci-Ancelin said, "Although it's my first time here, I know many of the musicians," adding, "I really appreciate the family-like atmosphere." France, one of the world's woodwind powerhouses, has a long tradition of nurturing wind musicians. In many parts of Europe, including northern France, coal miners once formed amateur brass and wind bands as a core part of their community life, Guyot explained, noting how these musical traditions helped embed a deep appreciation for wind instruments in the culture. 'So originally, wind instruments were popular instruments -- they were played for dancing, for parties, for funerals and even for military ceremonies," he said, explaining that today, woodwind instruments remain a popular choice in France, compared to the stronger preference for piano and string instruments often seen in Korea. Throughout the festival, the four musicians will perform in different ensembles alongside other instrumentalists, culminating in a joint appearance for the quintet of Bizet's 'Carmen' in the closing performance on Sunday. Launched in 2006 by renowned violinist Kang Dong-suk with support from the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the SSF emerged in a musical landscape that lacked long-term, stable platforms for chamber music. gypark@
