The Healing Life of a Music Genius - Chapter 95
Only Noblemtl
95 completely different
* * *
“Then may I ask for your understanding?”
“yes. I also have people who know the story. “I don’t think it will be difficult.”
“is that so?”
“The Korean classical music world is very narrow.”
Kim A-ram, assistant manager of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s operations team, readily accepted Conductor Hoffman’s request.
It wasn’t a big request.
Hoffman’s request to observe a folktale etiquette class on a specific date.
In fact, the problem could have been resolved with just one phone call from Professor Yuhan Kang, who is sitting here.
Professor Kang Yu-han seems to have been well aware of that point and adds an additional comment.
“I thought that if I called Seolhwa, it would be a disruption to class. Hoffman also said he just wanted to ‘watch’. “I think it would be better if Assistant Manager Kim A-ram helps me.”
‘But… you’re asking me this because of one student. It’s my first time hearing this name. ‘Han Seo-jin?’
Kim A-ram thought of the student’s name several times.
There was something more important than that now.
Aram Kim walked a little ahead of Hoffman.
And opened the huge door.
All members of the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra were gathered on the stage.
To welcome Hoffman, they showed their respect by lightly tapping their instruments.
Kang Yu-han took a moment to whisper to Hoffman.
“But did you miss Seojin that much? “I think it’s something she could have asked for after her first practice today.”
“Isn’t this the child I personally recommended? It’s natural to be curious. “I hope I can go to that school soon.”
“Without even revealing your identity?”
“Because I think that way we can see the child’s true self.”
“haha. People.”
Hoffman soon climbed onto the podium.
Kang Yu-han took his seat in the first row of the Seoul Arts Center.
A brief greeting from Hoffman.
After a while.
Hoffman’s baton rose sharply and then fell.
* * *
Berlin, Germany.
There, on an outdoor stage, there was a girl who continued to play the piano fluidly.
A chord that starts from a high note and gradually becomes lower.
The slowly descending melody seemed to take the audience’s breath away, as if to convey deep depression and despair.
A slow yet heavy touch.
Before you know it, high notes are repeated, heightening the tension.
Some in the audience even swallowed their saliva while watching the child play.
A gorgeous tune follows soon after.
The finger movements, which were difficult to follow with the eyes, were worthy of admiration.
Meanwhile, the man who was watching the stage from the back of the audience slowly opened his mouth.
His voice was very deep, and the sound was a little quiet as if he didn’t want to disturb the performance.
“To be able to express something like that at that age… I can’t believe it even though I’m looking at it like this. “I guess I can see him as a born child.”
The woman who was listening to the man responds.
“Yes. It’s been 3 years since I started playing the piano. “I don’t know what would have happened if I had started playing the piano a little earlier.”
“Are you 14 years old this year?”
“yes. “It’s not for nothing that he’s called the ‘Genius of Munich.’”
A child who originally lived in Munich.
By chance, the child was noticed by a musician and ended up going to Berlin to study.
Tuition is completely free.
Full support, including housing and living expenses.
It was quite an unprecedented condition.
And that was proof that he had that much skill.
“It’s a little disappointing. Like you said, if you were lucky and started playing the piano early, you might be on a performance tour by now.”
“But it’s not too late. “We just need to build it up one by one, starting this summer.”
“This summer… you mean Ettlingen.”
“yes. “If we win there, we have a big chance.”
The name of the girl they were talking about was Anna Becker.
One of the young pianists who has recently attracted the most attention in Germany.
A child nicknamed the genius of Munich.
Even though he started playing the piano late, he proudly advanced to the finals of the Ettlingen Competition, where more than 700 people applied this year.
Just making it to the finals was a great thing, but there was another great thing hidden here.
As Ettlingen is a youth competition, there is an age limit.
From 12 to 17 years old.
Thanks to this, most of the children who made it to the finals were 16 or 17 years old.
Even the children who enter the prize pool are mostly around that age.
In a way, it’s natural.
This is because children who have practiced for a few more years than other children are, on average, better at playing the piano.
For that reason, Anna Becker’s relatively young age of 14 was enough to attract people’s attention.
Moreover, Anna Becker beat all the other children and got the opportunity to perform on this stage.
It was a great achievement achieved only three years after starting to play the piano.
Before we knew it, Anna Becker’s stage was over.
The audience gave loud applause and cheers, and Anna Becker bowed lightly to the audience and then came down the stage.
Some children greet Anna Becker.
“The performance was amazing! “It felt like my heart was dropping!”
“I thought it wasn’t recommended by the professor for no reason!”
“Can you tell me a little bit next time?”
Anna Becker gave them an appropriate answer and then headed to the backstage.
A kind of waiting room with a tent hanging down.
There was one kid there who played right before us.
“Anna. great job.”
“It wasn’t a big deal. “Because this stage isn’t important right now.”
“and. Other kids might not think that way. “I’ll be sad to hear it.”
Anna stared at the boy.
“Actually, you think so too. “It’s just a stage to gain experience before climbing to Ettlingen.”
“Uh…did I say that?”
“Two days ago.”
“You also have a good memory. Rather than that, take a look at this.”
Louis Wolff, the boy who was talking to Anna Becker, showed his smartphone to Anna.
Anna started with her impressions.
“Gossip isn’t even on my radar right now.”
“Still, read it.”
“no.”
“Even though it’s about Ettlingen?”
“······ what?”
“The performer recommended by Conductor Hoffman this year is Korean. “Wasn’t that something you were curious about?”
“······.”
Only then did Anna begin to look at the smartphone that Lewis had given her.
The Ettlingen Competition is just around the corner.
As restrictions on news reporting were lifted, various news began to come in.
Anna, who had been reading the news for a while, spoke quietly.
“then······. “Was it to meet this child that Conductor Hoffman went to Korea?”
“well. I heard he was a guest conductor. “Isn’t he both a man and a man?”
“······.”
“He was the conductor you wanted to be recommended so much. I found out that a Korean child had already received it. “And he’s a year younger than you.”
“······.”
Anna Becker and Louise Wolff.
The two were classmates who attended the same music academy in Berlin.
Conductor Hoffman often gave lectures at the gifted center, and since he was the most well-known among the people at the gifted center, Anna Becker really wanted to get a recommendation from Hoffman.
but.
‘I’m sorry. There was a child I had my eye on a while ago. ‘You might be able to get recommendations from other professors, so try broadening your horizons a little.’
In the end, it was no different from rejection.
That honestly hurt my pride.
Who are you?
I am the one who deserves the best treatment.
I’m the one who has to win in Ettlingen.
With that in mind, Anna worked harder.
but.
‘Anyway, I thought it was recommended by someone in Europe…’
A little strangely, a Korean child was recommended by conductor Hoffman.
Isn’t Korea quite far from Germany?
Then how?
By what opportunity?
How good do you want to be?
Because of those thoughts, Anna looked at her smartphone with a stern expression for a while.
Lewis blurted out.
“I think he might be another genius. As you.”
“That kid?”
“huh.”
“Then what should I do? “I must win this contest.”
Anna was full of determination.
Lewis glanced at Anna and easily came to a conclusion.
“You either win or lose. Someone might fail in the first round of the finals. “That’s a competition.”
* * *
Folk tale courtesy.
“Beomjun, where is winning and losing in music? “Music has its own meaning.”
“As you say, you always come in first place.”
“For your information, my highest score in the competition was 3rd place?”
“That’s it…”
“Actually, that’s just the way the system works. And I heard that this ensemble practice doesn’t have much of an impact on your grades. So, relax.”
“······.”
Oh Beom-jun was wary of me and Lee Ha-eun’s team.
In my opinion, I think it felt like the 1st and 2nd place students in the piano department were eating the team and rejecting the 3rd place students.
Beomjun Oh muttered a few more words and soon disappeared into the auditorium.
‘It’s nice that he is consistent.’
Today was the day of the ensemble practical evaluation.
As the entire first-year class at Sulwha Arts Middle School was practicing ensemble, the practical exam was scheduled for almost a week.
Today is the second day.
You did not have to participate in all practical classes, and you only had to come to the auditorium on days when the team you were part of performed.
“What are you doing now?”
“I met Beomjun Oh at the entrance. “For talking.”
“also?”
“I’ve become attached to her now. “It’s a big deal.”
Lee Ha-eun sighs and laughs.
Students were already taking their seats on the stage.
“It’s Baek So-yeon. oboe?”
“Saint-Saëns Oboe Sonata in D major. “I heard it was Soyeon’s favorite song.”
At that time, the class bell rang.
As soon as the teacher gave the signal, the performance started.
The oboe presents a lyrical melody with a calm tempo of Andantino (slightly faster than Andante).
A warm piano begins to accompany the song.
Colorful oboe sounds.
The piano melody that surrounds the oboe.
The sonata’s performance, which continued like a conversation, was very enjoyable to listen to.
“You must have practiced a lot.”
“huh. “I invited him to my house last weekend and practiced.”
“You’re passionate.”
“What kind of kids aren’t like that here?”
I wrote down my impressions while having a light conversation in a low voice. This appreciation was also an evaluation.
I looked around.
I was curious about how other students were reacting.
however.
‘uh?’
I found an elderly gentleman in the corner of the auditorium. Wearing a neat suit. soft hat. sunglasses. This is not the person I used to see at school. He also saw the woman next to him for the first time.
‘Does one person seem familiar?’
That’s what I thought.
“why? “Is there anyone looking for you?”
“no. “I guess it was my mistake.”
I started putting effort into writing reviews again.
The turn came quickly.
Finally, Lee Ha-eun and I’s names were called.
Thankfully, some people in charge of school facilities moved an additional piano onto the stage.
A total of two pianos in this auditorium.
We ended up using it all.
“Let’s try our best. Seojin.”
“Rather than doing something well, you should have fun doing it.”
“Tsk tsk. “I see.”
We set the height of the chairs and each person sat in front of the piano.
Lee Ha-eun, sitting across from me, can be seen through the piano lid.
Lee Ha-eun was staring at me quietly.
I’ve had enough practice.
As I practiced this song, my understanding of the ensemble improved a lot.
Playing with the other person in mind, not playing on your own.
‘There is no need to rush out arbitrarily. Even now. Later in the competition too.’
I felt really lucky that my ensemble partner was an old friend of mine.
I put my hands on the piano keys.
Even if you don’t necessarily have a calculating mindset that you have to get good scores or that it will help you in the competition.
It was a lot of fun playing together like this.
I made eye contact with Lee Ha-eun.
And he nodded his head three times like he usually did.
Holding my breath for a moment, I began to play the first theme played by the first piano.
A song that stands out for its colorful tones, as befits Mozart’s music.
My performance and Lee Ha-eun’s accompaniment quickly harmonized.
* * *
Mozart – Sonata for two pianos.
Mozart – K.448, Piano Sonata in D major for two pianos.
A song composed by Mozart to be performed with Josefa Barbara Auernhammer, one of his outstanding students.
This very elegant and beautiful song has been loved by people even to this day.
Aram Kim was surprised not long after the two students started playing.
‘One student’s level is far too high.’
1st piano.
Since the piano has to present the theme first and lead the song, the burden is greater than that of a second piano.
If you run out alone just because you’re excited, the second piano that follows you will be a mess.
If you slow down your performance while only thinking about the second piano, you will end up being eaten by the second piano.
The key to this song was that the first piano established the balance in advance.
Even though a considerable amount of time had passed, these students’ performances were flawless and natural.
If we think carefully about the reason.
‘The male student… has an almost perfect understanding of the female student’s performance.’
Never move forward alone.
I keep my balance while thinking about the second piano.
That’s what I felt.
In Kim A-ram’s opinion, it seemed like the male student could present a more spectacular performance.
Because I felt relaxed in the performance.
But I don’t show it off.
As if Mozart was waiting for his student Auernhammer to play.
The male students also calmly wait for the female students to play.
‘Can children at this time of year have that kind of patience?’
In a normal case, a good student would move forward and say, ‘You too, follow me. Or do you not have the skills to keep up? There are many cases where they are not considerate.
In fact, I was able to find such a tendency in other student ensembles a little while ago.
Because I want to stand out alone.
So far, I’ve only learned solo.
That was normal.
But the boy is definitely…
“You are in command.”
“yes?”
Kim A-ram had no choice but to turn her head as Hoffman muttered to herself.
Although the voice was small, some students turned around, perhaps because Hoffman used German. But soon he turns his attention back to the stage. The stage now was primarily a class. You can’t keep doing other things.
“It’s like conducting an orchestra with just one baton. I understood everything about the girl’s performance… That’s why the music seems to come alive. “It should be said that we are trying to make music together, rather than having fun alone.”
“······.”
Kai Hoffman.
He is currently serving as a senior conductor in Berlin, the center of Germany.
What if those words came out of that person’s mouth?
It was safe to say it was high praise.
“So Maestro Hoffman wrote a letter of recommendation for that child?”
“well. Now that I think about it, I think I only saw fragments of that child when I first saw him. Or, as my friend said, I grew even more in that short period of time.”
“······.”
“Even back then, he was a child worthy of writing a letter of recommendation. “It has changed noticeably.”
“······ Is that so.”
Before we knew it, Mozart’s music was heading toward its latter half.
Expansion of variations.
The melody becomes increasingly difficult.
This song, which can only be played with all twenty fingers, was played perfectly.
They complement each other.
Two pianos continue a conversation with each other.
The splendor and dynamic melody.
It echoed throughout this auditorium.
“and······. Seo-jin is…”
“Haeun is crazy too? “What are you two?”
“Did you just practice all night?”
“I don’t know. “I guess I got first or second place in the piano department for no reason.”
‘1st or 2nd place?’
Kim Aram looked up at the stage again.
As we reached the final coda, the first piano flowed like water.
The second piano can barely keep up with that.
Performance that takes place simultaneously.
With the beautiful sound of water droplets rolling around.
Both performances ended at the same time.
Their hands equally rise towards the sky.
The two children were smiling.
Hoffman listened to their performance until the end and muttered quietly.
“Children who purely enjoy music. It’s nice to see it differently from the gifted centers in Germany. In particular, I think there are only a few kids in the world who can beat Seojin. “Even if he is a Munich genius.”
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