"The world of music is so vast, and there are still so many pieces I want to play. A lifetime is far too short."
Pianist Kun-Woo Paik said this at a press conference held at Shinyoung Chamber Hall in Yeouido on the 30th. Celebrating his 70th anniversary as a performing artist this year, he has an upcoming solo recital at the Concert Hall of Seoul Arts Center on May 10, his 80th birthday. He recently released a Schubert sonata album and is currently on a nationwide tour.
Paik cited the vast world of music and his desire to fully express it as the driving force behind his enduring career. "There is no retirement for a performer," he said. "As long as you truly love music and have the passion to express it, the music continues." He added, "Music has a thousand faces. I want to understand and share as much music as possible. That is the life of a musician."
His latest Schubert album is his first in 13 years since "Schubert: Impromptus, Klavierstücke, Moments Musicaux" in 2013. Quoting Stravinsky, he described Schubert's sonatas as music that makes one "wonder whether it was written by a human or came from heaven." He added, "In Mozart's music, you can sense human design, but Schubert's music seems to simply flow out naturally." The album features Schubert's Piano Sonatas Nos. 13, 14, 18 and 20. For his nationwide recital tour, he will perform Nos. 13 and 20 along with Brahms' "Four Ballades."
Asked how he feels about turning 80 as a performer, Paik said he has "become free." "In the past, the pressure and stress of having to prove myself were enormous, but now I just want to enjoy music freely," he said. Despite a vast repertoire built over his long career, he said the works he still wants to tackle are inexhaustible. "There are so many pieces I haven't even begun. Beyond Brahms, there is wonderful music from Eastern Europe, Spain and Britain," he said. "I hope young performers will also introduce a great deal of new music."
Paik is also well known by the nickname "Seeker on the Keyboard," given to him by music critic Lee Soon-yeol — a tribute to his unmatched seriousness and intensity in exploring music. Asked about the moniker, he smiled and said it felt "a bit heavy," but added, "Anyone who is devoted to their work is a seeker, no matter what they do." He stressed, "To properly interpret a single piece, you must return to it at least three times over a lifetime. There are always parts you don't fully understand, so you inevitably come back to it. This process will probably continue until the day I die."
Paik also revealed plans to publish an autobiography reflecting on his life in music. "The 1960s, when I studied in New York, were an era when the greatest masters in classical music history were active," he recalled. "The musical world I experienced then is vastly different from today." He explained, "I felt it was my duty to share those experiences." It is widely known that Leonard Bernstein recognized his talent and helped him gain admission to the Juilliard School. The autobiography is expected to be published in the second half of this year.
He did not forget to offer advice to younger musicians. "In the past, it was difficult to obtain scores and recordings, but now everything is available with a tap on a smartphone," he noted. "There is so much information that it has become hard to look inward at one's own music." He emphasized, "Music that depends on album sales or YouTube view counts is precarious. What ultimately matters is finding the music within yourself."
