[YeitSuda] The Dream of a Musician Nurtured at a Local Piano Academy

Pianist Lim Yunchan (18, Korea National University of Arts) is performing with the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, led by Marin Alsop, the chair of the jury, in the final round of the 16th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition held on the 12th of last month in Fort Worth, Texas, USA. Lim Yunchan set the record as the youngest winner in the 60-year history of the prestigious Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Photo by Cliburn Foundation [Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Andrew Robinson, a British education expert and author of "The Birth of a Genius," firmly stated that geniuses do not suddenly fall from the sky. He emphasizes, "Instead of Edison’s saying of 99% sweat and 1% inspiration, it is better to say that a person who has worked hard for 10 years (120 months) is given a golden opportunity to leap as a genius for one or two months (1%)."

The world is abuzz with 18-year-old pianist Lim Yunchan. In the previous Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, which he won as the youngest champion, Sunwoo Yekwon also surprised the world by becoming the first Korean to take first place. The global music community has turned its attention to Korea’s music education. Jacques Marquis, representative of the Van Cliburn Competition, evaluated, “The training methods of young Korean musicians are world-class,” and “Their achievements are becoming more distinct across all fields.”

Unlike the European education system, which relies strictly on individual ability, Korea’s music education, where the entire family dedicates themselves to the child’s success, is called a “family project.” Thierry Llorca, who has been responsible for on-site broadcasting of the internationally prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition held in Belgium for 25 years, directed two documentaries on Korean classical education methods. He analyzed, “The phenomenon of Korean performers flooding the international stage like an avalanche is unprecedented and unique,” and “Behind this is the family project, where the whole family supports the artist.”

Experts interpret that the breakthrough came after pianist Son Yeol-eum opened the door to international competitions by winning the 2000 Ettlingen International Piano Competition in Germany and the 2002 Viotti International Competition in Italy. This was followed by Lim Donghyuk’s joint third place at the 2005 Chopin International Piano Competition and pianist Kim Sunwook’s victory at the 2006 Leeds Piano Competition, which inspired a sense of challenge among performers of the same generation.

Cho Seongjin, who gained dazzling attention by winning the Chopin International Piano Competition, started somewhat later than other prodigies at the age of six at a piano academy in Bundang. When peers were playing Chopin in third grade, he was playing sonatines. Although lacking technique, he loved the piano and when he expressed his desire to continue, his parents silently supported him, saying, “If you want to, keep going.” Sunwoo Yekwon, the first Korean to win the Van Cliburn Competition, started piano even later, in second grade. He confessed, “After school at the piano academy, I listened to the pieces my friends played and vaguely dreamed of becoming a lifelong performer.”

Lim Yunchan also first touched the keyboard at a neighborhood piano academy at his mother’s suggestion when he was seven, just like friends who attended taekwondo and art academies. The Korean performers who amazed the world classical music scene were not geniuses who fell from the sky but uncut gems quietly honing their skills at local piano academies. They have been refined through national arts gifted education institutions such as Korea National University of Arts and are now sweeping the global stage with corporate support.

Editor's NoteYeitsuda (藝It Suda) is an abbreviation for “Art Talk,” a corner focused on issues and trends across the arts, including music, fine arts, and performances.