[Interview] "Concours is not the end but the beginning, I will convey diverse viola tones"

ARD International Music Competition Viola 1st Place Lee Haesu
Participated with the mindset of thinking only about and enjoying music
Gasparo da Sal?, the perfect instrument that is every violist's dream

On the 10th (local time), violist Lee Haesu (22), who won first place in the viola category at the 72nd ARD International Music Competition held in Munich, Germany, spoke with a surprisingly calm and composed voice. “I am honored to receive such a great award, and it still doesn’t quite feel real. However, what makes me happiest is that my music has been recognized and loved as a musician.”

Violist Lee Hae-su. [Photo by Kumho Cultural Foundation]

The ARD International Music Competition, hosted by Germany’s ARD, the first public broadcasting consortium, is a globally prestigious event held across 21 categories including instrumental, vocal, and chamber music. This year’s competition featured the harp, double bass, piano trio, and viola categories, with the viola category held over nine days from the 2nd to the 10th (local time). Lee Haesu also received two special awards: the Audience Award and the Osnabr?ck Music Award.

In an interview with Asia Economy on the 12th, Lee said, “Before the competition, I was very stressed due to a lack of personal practice time because of participating in the Marlboro Festival in the U.S., personal recitals, and preparing for my master’s graduation. However, once I stepped on stage, I focused solely on the music, enjoyed it, and approached the finals with that mindset.”

At the final stage held at the Herakles Hall in Munich, Lee performed William Walton’s Viola Concerto with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Grams. Although it was the same piece he played in the finals when he won the Primrose Competition in 2018, the feeling was said to be quite different.

He explained, “Until the Primrose Competition, I studied in the U.S., but after coming to Germany to study two years ago, I learned different musical values and ways of interpreting music. I think my current perspective on Walton has changed. Also, since the stage was the competition final, I believe the complex emotions of trying to enjoy the music despite the tension and stress created a different performance.”

He added, “Also, when I heard that conductor Andrew Grams studied at Curtis Institute of Music, I felt a familial connection as an alumnus, and I thought we might share similar musical tendencies, which allowed me to perform comfortably on stage.”

Photo of the winners in the viola category at the 72nd ARD International Music Competition. (Center in the photo) Violist Lee Hae-su. ⓒ Ruth Wischmann. [Photo provided by Samsung Foundation of Culture]

This competition featured 46 finalists who competed over three rounds after preliminary judging from the 2nd to the 10th. Three violists, including Lee Haesu, reached the final stage. After the final judging, no second place was awarded, and third place was jointly awarded to Germany’s Ionel Ungureanu and Japan’s Takahiro Konoe.

As remarkable as his performance skills were, the instrument he played on stage also attracted great attention for its unique tone color. Since February this year, Lee has been performing on a 1590 viola made by Italian master luthier Gasparo da Sal?, sponsored by the Samsung Cultural Foundation. Lee said, “Gasparo da Sal? is considered the perfect instrument and a dream for all violists. It came to me just six months before the competition, and I truly believe it was fate. If I had met the instrument a little later, it would have taken time to get used to it, and I might not have handled it as naturally as I did in this competition,” he said with a smile.

Although it has been 13 years since his debut at the Kumho Young Artist Concert in 2011, he still has a strong desire for new pieces and new music. “When practice isn’t going well, I put the instrument down and go for a walk or watch other performances. Seeing how other performers interpret pieces is very interesting and refreshing, and it gives me great inspiration,” he confessed.

Lee Haesu, who graduated from the master’s program at the Hans Eisler State Academy of Music in Germany, is preparing to enter the Professional Studies program at the Kronberg Academy in Germany. He expressed his aspirations, saying, “I think the competition is not the end but the beginning. Since the viola repertoire is not very extensive due to the instrument’s characteristics, I aim to convey the charm of the viola to audiences by performing chamber music ensembles, new contemporary pieces, and hidden viola masterpieces, rather than focusing solely on solo performances.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.