The Healing Life of a Music Genius - Chapter 22



Only Noblemtl

22 pianist

* * *

‘School starts next week.’

After going back and forth to piano lessons a few times, vacation was already coming to an end.

Other than going to see the Star Live House performance this Saturday, I don’t have much to do during vacation.

The 12-year-old good-natured child finished all his vacation homework in advance. I was also preparing well for the entrance exam to elementary school.

Teacher Park Ha-seon also said that it would be enough if I just practiced like this. The entrance exam to Ye Middle School will be easy.

Although I thought, ‘Is this enough?’, it seemed right for me to accept the words of a veteran entrance exam teacher who had run a local piano academy for over 15 years.

‘If the teacher is right, then it must be right.’

Thanks to this, I feel quite relaxed.

Aside from my daily routine of playing the piano or practicing the guitar, I was trying things out little by little.

I am now staring at my smartphone in real time, creating a melody step by step.

It was none other than a composition program.

I really wanted to use a ‘proper’ composition program that came out in the PC version, but the price was prohibitive.

So, the next best thing was to get a composition app on my smartphone and test it out.

Aside from the occasional advertisements and some restrictions, there seemed to be nothing better for practicing MIDI composition.

‘Still, I’ll have to buy a MIDI program someday.’

Maybe if you talk to your parents carefully, they might buy you a composition program worth around 500,000 to 600,000 won.

You may be able to refresh your computer that is struggling due to lack of performance with a new model.

However, it didn’t suit my personality.

From a young age, I knew my family’s circumstances quite well.

My father runs a publishing business, and my mother runs a small flower shop in the neighborhood.

My father, who entered the Dongseo Ilbo Spring Literary Contest and became a novelist, was an avid writer even when I was young.

But would it be easy to make a living as a novelist?

After all, my mother was also a poet who graduated from the Spring Literary Contest, so anyone would know what their lives were like even without seeing them in person.

Having grown up watching them both in person, I had no choice but to know better.

The two eventually compromised with reality and changed industries. Since Soo-yeon was born in the middle, he must have had no choice.

When I was 8 or 9, I overheard two people talking about profits.

Those who carefully calculated my pre-school tuition and lesson fees, the money that will be spent on Suyeon in the future, and living expenses.

Even that seemed to be quite tight as they had to pay off the store loan.

I couldn’t open my hands any further to my parents here.

But on the other hand, there was something I felt desperately while buying a guitar in Hongdae.

I had this feeling while looking into the prices of music-related programs.

That is, making music really, really, really costs a lot of money.

In order to do what I wanted to do, I had to earn my own money.

However, I couldn’t find a part-time job anywhere since I couldn’t work legally.

‘I wonder if there is a better alternative…’

Should I go to a competition somewhere and get some prize money?

Or should you start with NewTube?

I thought it would be a good idea to post a performance video on NewTube. However, the question is how long it will take to make money.

I kept fiddling with my smartphone, thinking about various things.

Right now, I wasn’t moving the song I composed on a desert island, but I was creating new songs by adding sessions as a test.

‘I heard it’s quite fun.’

Even if you don’t play the instrument yourself, you can create a song by recording MIDI to the beat.

You can add drums and bass.

Even stringed instruments such as violins and cellos could be used.

The songwriting app I tried for the first time was like a toy to me, and even though I was playing with it from time to time, the song was already taking shape.

The first song I made with MIDI.

I didn’t think it would take that long to complete.

at that time.

– Tiriring! Tiriring!

As if it was time, the smartphone alarm rang. I changed my clothes and slowly got ready to go out.

This alarm went off at the same time as Sooyeon’s kindergarten bus to Hawon.

It wasn’t anything special, it was just a hobby I volunteered to do to help my parents, even during vacations.

After roughly getting ready, I put on my shoes.

Then the phone rang again.

This time, the lyrics of ⌜Live Forever⌟ flowed from the smartphone. It means a phone call has arrived. I checked the name that appeared on the screen and immediately pressed the call button.

“yes. father. Soo-yeon was already on her way to pick me up.”

– Ah, that’s not it. I was thinking about eating out with my family today. Would you like to take Sooyeon to your mom’s store in advance? Dad will be there soon too.

“Now? “It’s not even dinner time yet?”

– I’m going to close early today. There have to be days like this sometimes.

“what···. “It is true.”

– Dad’s almost finished cleaning up, so I’ll see you later. son.

“······.”

It’s just my guess, but it looks like something good is happening.

Your voice tone is a semitone higher than usual.

I answered yes and quickly left the house.

The muggy weather was letting me know that summer was still far away.

I ignored the heat and walked on.

It’s been a while since I ate out with my family, and the heat wasn’t something that could get in the way.

* * *

A shopping mall complex.

“and! It’s awesome! “It was so touching!”

Suyeon was very excited after watching the movie. He’s busy jumping up and down holding my arm.

At first, I couldn’t understand why the sparrow had to lock down the door after seeing the title of the movie, but the story was quite good.

More than anything.

‘The OST was amazing.’

It was a work that particularly stood out for its ability to arrange music to suit the situation.

It was also fun to change the mood by arranging the melody of the same theme differently.

I thought it was a movie worth watching again if you get the chance.

My family went to a franchise pizza place right downstairs from the movie theater.

An outing with my family that feels like it’s been a really long time for me.

It seemed I wasn’t the only one who was excited.

Suyeon talked about the movie for a while. Perhaps because she always liked books, she was immersed in the story itself.

“Was it that fun?”

“huh. “All the books I’ve read lately have been gloomy, but I liked this movie because it had a happy ending.”

“What books have you read lately?”

“Three Kingdoms. Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and even Zhuge Liang all die.”

“······.”

“I didn’t enjoy seeing Zhuge Liang die. “He tried to see it through to the end.”

“I guess so.”

“oh! By the way, have you seen Romance of the Three Kingdoms? “Didn’t I give a spoiler?”

“no. I also saw Romance of the Three Kingdoms when I was around your age. are you okay.”

“phew! “Then I’m glad.”

My parents laughed when they saw the conversation between my younger brother and me.

My mother called the staff and skillfully placed the order, then asked me how I was doing.

“So, how are you preparing for the entrance exam these days? “Are you not stressed?”

“It’s just the same as usual. “Now I’m so used to it that I don’t feel any stress at all.”

“Hmm~ It’s just the same as usual? really?”

“yes?”

“Uhm~ I see~”

“······.”

While I was unable to properly understand the nuances of what my mother was saying, my father joined the conversation.

“I know. “Even though the father doesn’t know much about piano, when he sees his son practicing, he feels something has changed.”

“··· Did you feel a change?”

“Should I say that the sound has changed in some way? “You feel something like that?”

“I···. When I was at my parents’ house, I used a headset and played the piano. “How on earth did you hear my performance?”

“Hmm! Still, they all have feelings? feeling. “Don’t you know?”

“······?”

what? Who are these two insidious people?

My mother smiles at me.

My father who gives me a little pat on the back.

and.

“that’s right. Oppa, things have definitely changed. These days, when I play the piano, I play it with a smile. And he became much sweeter than before. “I like my current brother better.”

“······.”

Even Su-yeon, who was still studying diligently while looking at the ⌜Sparrow’s Lockdown⌟ poster, chimed in.

Because of this strange atmosphere, I had no choice but to ask my father a question.

“Is something wrong? what···. Did something good happen? “I won the lottery…”

My father burst out laughing again at my rational reasoning.

“It’s better than that.”

“······!”

So, did you find the Bitcoin you forgot?

Or stocks?

If so, it’s really awesome.

But unfortunately, all my expectations were wrong.

As drinks were being served to each of our tables, my mother finally told me the truth.

“Teacher Park Ha-seon would like to introduce you to the professor. “Did you know?”

“yes?”

“also. “I guess you didn’t know.”

Is this your first time hearing this?

Mother continued speaking.

“I was never a teacher who said things like that when I was alive. She contacted my mom directly yesterday. Seojin, your skills have improved a lot these days, so I think you should have mentioned it to the professor separately.”

“To the professor?”

“huh. Professor Yuhan Kang of Korea University of Music. “Do you know?”

Kang Yuhan…

‘That professor Yoohan Kang?’

I knew immediately who he was.

He is a veteran musician who used to be a pianist and recently also conducts. He was someone that no classical music major would know.

“Of course I know. But that person wants to meet me?”

“huh. Teacher Park Ha-seon personally recommended it. “I wonder how it worked out well.”

“······.”

If that was really the case, this was a great opportunity.

It is difficult to convert this value into money, but just taking one lesson from professors at a typical music school can easily cost you hundreds of thousands of won.

What if it was Professor Kang Yu-han?

It must be beyond your imagination.

Also, having money did not mean that you could easily receive instruction from a professor.

All that happens is that a few talented children get a chance to meet their professor ‘once’ by winning a prize at a big competition or being recommended by a musician.

If you can’t even do that, you have no choice but to enroll in the relevant university.

However, the place where Professor Yuhan Kang is located is the College of Music at Hankuk University.

In short, there is no easy way.

I don’t know how Teacher Ha-seon Park told the story, but this was not an opportunity that was easily created.

“My son is doing well. He’s been working hard all this time. right?”

Mother tapped my hand on the table.

My father watched me quietly and said something.

“okay. It’s been a lot of hard work so far. The art field… “Results don’t always follow what you put in, but it seems like you’ve done it yourself, Seojin.”

“······.”

“awesome. “My son.”

“······.”

My father’s past, which he had once told me about, came to mind again.

The story of how you debuted in the Dongseo Ilbo Spring Literary Contest when you were a college student. However, the story went through difficult times during the publishing stage due to poor sales.

However, my father was not a person who gave up easily.

My father continued to write while coming to terms with reality.

You probably wrote the day before yesterday, and probably today too.

In this way, my father published more than 7 books.

I know that sales have been increasing recently.

I thought that my father’s influence on me may have been a big factor in becoming the type of person who never gave up.

But then.

“Excuse me~ It’s full of gold crust! Super Rich Mozzarella Gold Combination Family Size Pizza is now available~”

I could feel the waiter, who didn’t know the atmosphere and came to serve us, flinch when he saw our expressions.

My family couldn’t help but burst into laughter as a somewhat ridiculous situation was created.

However, Suyeon did not understand the situation and tilted her head a few times.

* * *

next day.

I got in the car with my parents and headed to Korea University.

My father is in the driver’s seat and my mother is in the passenger seat.

And Teacher Park Ha-seon rode in the back seat with me.

The teacher and my mother talked about various things the whole way.

It turned out that the two people graduated from the same university.

‘I didn’t know this until now.’

There are so many piano academies in the neighborhood, but there was a reason why I chose this one.

As Uncle Miller said, I think the next scariest thing after blood ties was school ties.

“and. “The school has changed a lot, hasn’t it?”

“yes? I was also surprised when I came this time. It was a completely different world. “Oh my god, robots make coffee?”

“really?”

“huh. It would be fun to look around separately later. Seojin’s father. “Is that okay?”

“As much as you want.”

While two college classmates were chatting, our car stopped in the parking lot in front of a building.

Only then did I stop looking at the sheet music.

There was a list of songs that teacher Park Ha-seon said it would be good to practice, and I had been looking at it from time to time.

The school building was quite huge.

It was a large building with a first floor height of almost three stories.

However, compared to this size, the number of students appears to be significantly small.

A level where there is almost no one.

“Did the professor ask to see Seojin here?”

Teacher Park Ha-seon shook her head in response to her mother’s question.

“It’s not like that. You’re in class right now. He said it was okay to come and observe in the middle. “Because of Seojin’s experience.”

“Ego. “Thank you so much for caring so much.”

“That’s how hard Seojin worked. “Let’s go quickly.”

Before we knew it, we were in front of a huge door.

Teacher Park Ha-seon pushed the door with her whole body, perhaps because it was too heavy.

As soon as the door opened, I heard the piano playing.

concert hall.

The place we visited was Korea University’s concert hall.

There was a person playing the piano under the lights.

In the dark audience, people who appear to be college students are holding their breath.

Teacher Park Ha-seon looked back and put her index finger to her lips. She then moves on with her stealthy steps.

When I entered the concert hall, there was a strong smell of wood. Because of the lighting, I could also see dust floating in the air.

but···.

I wasn’t distracted by that.

My eyes and ears were only on the person playing the piano.

Intense.

A breathtakingly flawless performance.

A feast of countless sounds pouring out at once.

Yet, he is an incredible person who makes every note sparkle.

The main character on the stage whose age is hard to believe is 72 years old…

It was pianist Professor Yuhan Kang.