70 Years of Mastery: Pianist Baek Gun-woo Celebrates with Schubert’s Melodies

[Anchor] A string of classical concerts that capture the spirit of spring is underway. Pianist Baek Geon-woo celebrates 70 years since his debut with a program of Schubert. A chamber music festival showcasing young prodigies is also drawing audiences. Lee Hwa-young reports. [Reporter] Baek Geon-woo, who has spent seven decades at the keyboard, has returned with Schubert’s music. The 80-year-old veteran—often called a “seeker on the keys”—says the music sometimes feels less like something a human composed and more like a gift from heaven. 「Baek Geon-woo / Pianist」 “Sometimes I wonder whether this music was written by a human or if it came from heaven.” He made his debut in October 1956 at age 10, performing Grieg’s Piano Concerto with the Navy Symphony, and he has pursued an uninterrupted musical career ever since. To mark his 70th year, he’s releasing a new recording and embarking on a nationwide recital tour to share his musical reflections with audiences. 「Baek Geon-woo / Pianist」 “There are so many great pieces I still want to play. I can’t do them all. Life is too short.” Now in its 21st year, the Seoul Spring Chamber Music Festival brings together young musical talents. Under the theme “Mozart and the Young Geniuses,” teenage prodigies will perform alongside more experienced artists. Violinist Kim Yeon-ah, born in 2014, is the festival’s youngest performer. A 2024 YouTube video of Kim improvising Vivaldi’s Four Seasons at an Italian airport has been viewed more than 100 million times. 「Kim Yeon-ah / Violinist」 “I want to learn how to breathe together, listen to others, and how to play chamber music properly.” Audiences will also meet notable rising stars, including cellist Kim Jeong-ah, the youngest winner in the cello category of the Young Tchaikovsky International Competition, and clarinetist Lee Do-young, winner of the International Clarinet Association competition. This is Lee Hwa-young for Yonhap News TV. [Footage courtesy: Panteon (Seoul Spring Chamber Music Festival)] [Video reporting: Kim Bong-geun, Moon Joo-hyung] [Video editing: Kim Dong-hyun] [Graphics: Lee Jeong-tae] #SeoulSpringChamberMusicFestival #Pianist #KimYeonAh #BaekGeonwoo #Schubert Yonhap News TV inquiries and tips: KakaoTalk/Line jebo23 Lee Hwa-young (hwa@yna.co.kr)