December 23 at Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall
Part 1: Liszt, Part 2: Brahms
Kirill Gerstein, the Russian-American pianist renowned as one of the world’s busiest pianists for his versatility across classical and jazz music, will hold his first solo recital in Korea at the Concert Hall of the Seoul Arts Center on December 23.
For this recital, Gerstein is scheduled to perform works by the Romantic-era masters Franz Liszt (1811-1886) and Johannes Brahms (1833-1897).
Gerstein entered Berklee College of Music, the most prestigious institution for contemporary music in the United States, at the age of 14. He was the youngest student ever admitted to the undergraduate program. This was thanks to a recommendation from the legendary American jazz musician Gary Burton.
Gerstein was born in Russia in 1979. Influenced by his mother, who was a music teacher, he began learning piano at an early age. He received classical music training and was also exposed to jazz through his parents’ record collection. At age 12, Gerstein met Burton at a jazz festival in Saint Petersburg, Russia, where he served as Burton’s interpreter. Gerstein played his jazz piano for Burton, who was so impressed that he recommended Gerstein to Berklee College of Music. Gerstein studied jazz at Berklee and later enrolled at the Manhattan School of Music to major in classical music.
“Musically speaking, I grew up learning two languages at once,” Gerstein explained. “One is the tradition written in the score, and the other is the tradition of improvisation.” He meant that he learned the tradition of the score in classical music, and improvisation in jazz. Jazz musicians often perform improvisationally without sheet music. Gerstein noted, “Jazz taught me from a very early age that music is more than just black notes printed on paper.” He continued, “Improvisation makes music feel like an event that is happening right now, rather than simply reproducing it. I hope this sense permeates the way I perform classical music as well.”
Thanks to his unique background spanning both classical and jazz, he was ranked number one on Bachtrack’s 2023 list of the world’s busiest pianists, as selected by the music-specialized media outlet.
Liszt and Brahms, whose works will be featured in this recital, were both leading composers of the Romantic era, yet their musical approaches were radically different. They were key figures in the famous 19th-century debate between absolute music and program music.
Gerstein explained, “Liszt represents program music and literary associations, while Brahms embodies absolute music. This was a major debate dominating the late 19th century, often expressed as the opposition between the Liszt-Wagner camp and Brahms.” However, he emphasized, “In this recital, I hope the audience will experience not a simple contrast but an integrated musical experience.”
The program will open with Liszt’s “Three Petrarch Sonnets,” a work inspired by the sonnets of 14th-century poet Francesco Petrarca, blending poetic sentiment with delicate emotion. This will be followed by Liszt’s “Apr?s une lecture du Dante: Fantasia quasi Sonata.” The second half will feature works by Brahms, including his first published piano piece, the “Scherzo,” and the Piano Sonata No. 3.
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