"Yeol Eum Son's Performances: Explorations for the Piano"
Renowned pianist Yeol Eum Son, a prize winner at the 2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition and the 2011 International Tchaikovsky Competition, will be the soloist for the National Arts Centre Orchestra's Asian tour's "Korea" segment in late May. During this performance, she will play Maurice Ravel's Concerto in G Major. This concert is recorded in The Hague, Netherlands.
As a celebrated musician born in 1986, Son will be performing this G Major Concerto alongside Ravel's transcriptions of Bach for the left hand, which were dedicated to the one-armed pianist, Paul Wittgenstein. Son's album, released in 2025, also includes these Bach arrangements.
Notably, Son opted to record these concertos in public, demonstrating her clarity in articulation, projection, and vision. Her preference for detail and impact is evident throughout her performance. The G Major Concerto is considered a high point in her repertoire, surpassing her Left-Hand Concerto.
In a similar vein, Seong-Jin Cho and Andris Nelsons' recently released album (DG) features G Major, albeit with a reverberant and visually striking quality. However, the Left-Hand Concerto stands out in this album. Son's upcoming performances include a recital at Carnegie Hall and collaborations with the Austin Symphony Orchestra and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Source: [1] [4]
[1] American Pianists Association. (2020). Bio: Yeol Eum Son. https://americanpianists.org/competition/bio/yeol-eum-son/[2] Los Angeles Philharmonic. (2021). Artist: Yeol Eum Son. https://www.laphil.com/artists/yeol-eum-son[3] National Public Radio. (2020). Yeol Eum Son Is Enthralled By The Reverie And Passion In 'Yana' Alone. https://www.npr.org/2020/09/10/913634990/yeol-eum-son-is-enthralled-by-the-reverie-and-passion-in-yana-algo[4] National Arts Centre. (2021). National Arts Centre Orchestra Announces One-on-One Sessions, Masterclasses, and Special Guest Artists for the 2021-2022 Season. https://nac-cna.ca/en/pressroom/news/2021/nac-orchestra-announces-one-on-one-sessions-masterclasses-and-special-guest-artists-for-the-2021-2022-season
Son's album features a rendition of Maurice Ravel's Concerto in G Major, as well as Ravel's transcriptions of Bach for the left hand, which are also included in her live performances. The fusion of culture in her music, ranging from classical to contemporary pieces, brings a unique blend of entertainment and art to listeners.
