Heather Fabritze
News Co-Editor
Director of Piano Studies Dr. Woobin Park and violinist David Kim opened the Washington College concert series this semester with a dual performance in Hotchkiss Recital Hall. They will repeat this concert in Seoul, South Korea later this year.
Both Dr. Park and Kim have established themselves as masters of their respective instruments. The former, according to the concert’s program, has “graced esteemed orchestras across Asia, Europe, and the United States.” She was the first-place winner at the Los Angeles International Liszt Competition and the San Nicola de Bari International Piano Competition in Italy.
She is also the founder and director of the WC Piano Festival and Competition, which will run for its fifth year on April 13.
Kim has bore the title of the Philadelphia Orchestra concertmaster for over 25 years. He is a graduate of the Juilliard School, and has been a violinist since the age of 3. He also spent time in the spotlight as the concertmaster of the nine-time Emmy award-winning “All-Star Orchestra,” which airs on the PBS channel.
Members of the campus and local communities filled the hall’s seats at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 7 to see their five-piece show. Sophomore Kaitlyn Murphy attended for her Introduction to Music course, but also to gain an understanding of the type of musical talent that comes to the College.
Others, like junior Justus Williams, sought a pleasant concert on a Wednesday night.
“I love music,” Williams said. “I hope to get a really beautiful, effusive experience that transcends everything I’ve experienced all week.”
Kim and Dr. Park opened the performance with Johannes Brahms’ “Sonatensatz: Scherzo in c minor,” before moving to Igor Stravinsky’s “Suite Italienne” and John Williams’ “Schindler’s List” theme.
As the Philadelphia Orchestra concertmaster, Kim played the theme with Williams as an encore on one of his yearly visits to the orchestra. He dedicated the performance to violinist Itzhak Perlman, who was also featured on the “Schindler’s List” soundtrack.
Kim described that night as “one of the highlights of [his] career” and part of the reason that he defends Williams’ work so staunchly.
“There’s actually debate in the classical music world,” Kim said. “Can John Williams be considered a serious composer if he’s doing movie music? I think so. I think he should be mentioned in the same breath as Beethoven and Brahms and Bach, and I think you’ll agree. It’s a beautiful piece.”
Dr. Park then performed Franz Liszt’s “Rhapsodie espagnole” as a soloist, playing the entire 11 to 14 minute piece from memory.
Murphy said that she was highly impressed with the entire concert, but particularly with Dr. Park’s emotional connection to the music.
“I know her hands are hurting because mine are hurting just looking at her,” Murphy said.
“I really enjoyed the passion on their faces. I noticed that, especially the piano player, she just wasn’t looking at the music. She was feeling the music.”
Both musicians finished the production with Pablo de Sarasate’s “Carmen Fantasy Op. 25.” This time, Kim was the performer who played without sheet music.
Senior Bianti Danaj, who has a personal connection to the violin, was moved by Kim’s musicality.
“My mom is a violin teacher and she’s been playing for over 30 years now,” Danaj said. “I’ve had the luck to listen to some of her plays and what I just saw now … it was actually amazing. It was very good.”
Although there are no more performances in the series featuring WC’s faculty, there are two remaining productions in the 2023-24 WC concert season. Trumpeters, Dr. Davy DeArmond and Marcus Flores, will be visiting with their trumpets on March 4 and pianist Young-Ah Tak will perform on April 13.
Photo caption: Both performers previously played in concert halls across the world.
Photo courtesy of Stephen Hook