[On Stage] Six Years as Concertmaster of a Renowned German Orchestra... Lee Ji-yoon "Still Happy"

Recital on the 29th at Seoul Arts Center IBK Chamber Hall
"First Recital Under My Name... Featuring the Most Familiar Composers"

"I am still happy. When the orchestra is not performing, I go to other cities in Europe to hold solo recitals, concertos, and chamber music performances. I am very grateful to be able to share my playing through many stages. I am simply happy."

Violinist Lee Ji-yoon expressed her reflections on the past six years as concertmaster of the prestigious German orchestra Berlin Staatskapelle in a written interview with Asia Economy. Having spoken about happiness in a 2019 interview with domestic media, she still talks about happiness. As the youngest concertmaster in the orchestra's history, she might have felt pressure over time, but it was quite the opposite.

Violinist Lee Ji-yoon [Photo by Mast Media]

The Berlin Staatskapelle, where Lee Ji-yoon works, is Germany's oldest and most prestigious orchestra, founded over 450 years ago. Established in 1570, legendary composers such as Felix Mendelssohn, Richard Wagner, and Richard Strauss served as music directors.

Lee Ji-yoon joined the orchestra in September 2017 and became the first Asian, the first woman, and the youngest concertmaster with a lifetime appointment in May 2018. The concertmaster audition she applied for, at a time when she was considering returning to Korea after studying in Germany, completely changed her life.

"My musical depth, attitude towards life, and habits all changed. While working with music by various composers, I learned which language each composer uses. Whether it is Beethoven or Debussy, musical expression differs depending on the composer, and I learned that quickly and accurately recognizing these differences is important."

Lee Ji-yoon will hold a solo recital on the 29th at the IBK Chamber Hall in the Seoul Arts Center. It is her first solo recital under her own name.

She will open with "Tr?umerei" from Richard Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder. Then she will perform Johann Strauss's Violin Sonata, Robert Schumann's Three Romances, and conclude with Johannes Brahms's Violin Sonata No. 2.

Regarding the four composers featured in the recital, she said, "These are the composers I have most frequently worked with and performed. Since this is my first solo recital under my own name, I gathered works by composers whose music I feel most comfortable with."

The accompaniment will be by Professor Ilya Rashkovsky from Sungshin Women's University. "We first performed together during my solo recital as a resident artist at Kumho Art Hall in 2020. It was during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, so we couldn't rehearse much, and the situation was not ideal. However, from the start, our musical chemistry and feelings matched well. There are not many pianists who accompany string players so well, but I remember him as someone who naturally fulfills the accompanist's role, so I contacted him first to see if he could join. I am grateful he readily accepted."

[Photo by Mastmedia]

Lee Ji-yoon will perform several times in Korea this year. On April 3rd, she opened the 2024 Seoul Arts Center Symphony Festival, performing Brahms's Violin Concerto with the KBS Symphony Orchestra. During the 40-minute long piece, she was seen closing her eyes intermittently while resting between passages to focus on the music.

"It's not a habit, but I close my eyes to concentrate on the sound of the orchestra and myself. When I shut off my vision, I can focus better on hearing. So I close my eyes from time to time to concentrate on the sound."

Lee Ji-yoon plans to actively perform in Korea in the second half of the year as well. Before her recital on the 29th, she will collaborate with the National Symphony Orchestra at a matinee concert hosted by the Seongnam Cultural Foundation on the 20th. She will perform Dvo??k's Violin Concerto.

After the recital, she will return to Germany but come back to Korea in July to perform four times at the PyeongChang Daegwallyeong Music Festival. Alongside violinist Park Ji-yoon, concertmaster of the Radio France Philharmonic, she will also perform twice as part of a chamber music group called the "PyeongChang Dream Team."

Lee Ji-yoon said, "In October, I am scheduled to collaborate with the Gyeonggi Philharmonic at Art Center Incheon, and in November and December, I expect to greet audiences with various performances in Korea continuously."

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