Interview with Angela J. Kim (Piano)

Winner of 2001 International Web Concert Hall Competition

(Honorary Mention)

Angela has been the recipient of both the New York and Iowa Arts Council awards, which have sponsored recitals in the United States and France, as well as a CD recording at the Banff Centre for the Arts in Canada. She received international recognition by winning the Best Interpretation of French Music Award at the 1997 French Piano Institute in Paris. Other honors include the 1998 Début Young Concert Artist Award and the grand prize of the 1991 Mozart Festival Competition.

MOL: Tell us about French Music Award at the 1997 French Piano Institute in Paris. The mission of organization and what was the prize?

The French Piano Institute brings pianists from around the world together to Paris with the sole mission of studying and performing French music. The prizes that I won were the Best Interpretation of French Music Award and a recital at the French Embassy in Washington, D.C.

MOL: What did you perform at the French Embassy?

Some pieces that I performed were Ravel Jeux d’Eau and Pavane, Debussy L’Isle Joyeux, and probably some Poulenc as well.

MOL: Tell us about your musical background.... When did you start?

My mom was six months pregnant with me when she gave her Master’s piano recital at Michigan State University where she studied with Ralph Votapek. So even before I was born, I was hearing music in my mother’s womb. I think that one of my earliest memories is of my intense desire to climb on the bench so that I could touch the keys and hear the sounds. My mom began to teach me at the age of three and I also began violin lessons at the age of four.

I studied at the Eastman School of Music and upon graduating, I was extremely fortunate to play for Maria Curcio, an eminent teacher in London and former student of Artur Schnabel. One thing led to another and I was introduced to a patron of the arts that she knew. He heard me play and decided to sponsor me for the next three years. He was very generous with the young artists that he sponsored, and thanks to him, I was able to study in Montreal with Marc Durand while going to London to play for Maria and to other music festivals in Europe.

MOL: How long did you play the violin? Why did you decided to choose piano instead of violin?

This is a very interesting question. I have wondered the same thing myself. I think that I had a facility in both instruments, and my violin teacher wanted me to continue on. (I quit after seven years of study.) I think that I was naturally drawn to the piano, and the sound pleased me much more than that of the violin. After all, who can stand the screeching noises coming from a beginner?

MOL: Was either of your parents a musician?

My mom is still teaching the piano and my dad was a math professor. I believe that he was a musician at heart and loved every aspect of music making. He liked the idea of sweating hard while you work, being passionate and dedicated about the work, and finally, sharing it with others.

MOL: Do you have any other members of family who plays musical instrument? Is your husband musician?

My two youngers sisters also played instruments: Emily played the piano, violin, and flute, and Joyce played the piano and cello. Yes, my husband and I got married in France this past summer in France. Marc is a producer and recording engineer. He has a Bachelor and Master’s Degree from the Geneva Conservatory in flute performance and a Master’s Degree from McGill University in sound engineering. He is a first-rate musician, which makes him an excellent producer and recording engineer. He currently works for Classic Sound in Manhattan.

MOL: Who are your teachers? And when you recall some of your teachers what are the first and best qualities you remember?

My recent and most influential teachers are Lee Kum Sing and Marc Durand, two wonderful musicians in Canada. Past teachers include Barry Snyder, Chiu-Ling Lin, and my mom, Hannah Kim. I take coachings periodically from Juana Zayas here in New York City.

From Marc Durand, I learned about structure, shaping the piece, rhythm and timing. He gave me excellent tools to become independent. Lee Kum Sing has left an indelible print in me that no stone should be left unturned. Every note and harmony must be considered. What sound do I want? What articulation? These are crucial issues to consider when one is practicing.

Juana listens to me before some of my recitals and I receive helpful feedback from her. I admire her own playing, and I think it’s so important to always play for someone who may have a different approach. Barry and Chiu-Ling are also wonderful pianists who both play with beautiful colors. This undoubtedly has left its mark on me.

MOL: How did your friend, parents, etc. influence you as a musician?

I am fortunate to have fellow musicians with whom I can share different musical thoughts. I have tremendous respect for a colleague of mine who teaches at Curtis and is a phenomenal pianist. His feedback is invaluable to me and his comments leave me with a whirlwind of new ideas to consider and play with. When you find other musicians who value the same things that you do, it’s important to take the time to cultivate the friendship.

MOL: Do you teach?

I only have one student right now due to a busy schedule, but teaching is something that I would eventually love to do in the future. I believe that teaching is an enormous responsibility that should never be taken lightly. It takes a special talent to strike the delicate balance between firmly guiding the student through essential principles while also respecting what the student has to offer.

MOL: How much do you practice daily before a performance?

One week before a performance, if time permits, I usually practice five to six hours per day. On the day of the performance, I don’t like to practice more than two or three hours.

MOL: How much or often do you practice basic (tone production, breathing, etc.)? If so, what kind of basic do you practice?

I don’t practice basic technique outside of what the pieces that I’m working on bring to me. I do break down the pieces and sort out the basics within that framework.

MOL: How do you select repertoire for your recital?

I have always said that the pieces "call my name." Suddenly I will wake up feeling compelled to play a certain piece, and this is usually how I choose what I will play. I also like to have a variety in my recitals. Audience members always appreciate when the performer offers a varied program to them.

MOL: What period music do you enjoy playing most and why?

I go through phases depending on my general mood. These days I’m particularly drawn to Mozart and Schubert for the purity and simplicity. I have also recently discovered Albéniz’s music, which is absolutely brilliant! I can’t wait to dig my fingers into his compositions.

MOL: In your opinion, what is your strength in your playing?

My strength is probably that I have a very strong sense of commitment to piano playing and am constantly searching for new answers. When one is relentless in the passion to make beautiful music, I believe the answers do find their way to you.

MOL: What do you hope to accomplish as a musician?

My goal is very simple: to provide solace for the listener who needs to escape into a world where there is "perfection." This is what music does for me, and there is nothing I want more than to give this to others.

MOL: Among many pianists or instrumentalists, did anyone give you such experience you just described?

Glenn Gould’s Goldberg Variations (the 1981 recording) moves me profoundly every time I listen to it. This, to me, is perfection.

Another instance that stands out is the first time that I heard Mahler’s 5^th Symphony at the Eastman Theatre when I was a student there. It literally consumed me with the gamut of emotion, from solitude and resignation to hope and expectation. It was like walking into Notre Dame for the first time; I was in complete awe. I will tell you that I listened to the fourth movement of Mahler’s 5^th (New York Phil and Bernstein) a lot after September 11.

MOL: You now live in NYC. Did you decided to live in NY because of your career?

New York has been my home base for about three years now. I was traveling back and forth too much, and so I finally decided to make NYC my permanent home one year ago. This decision was based on my career, but since my husband works in v Manhattan, it works out perfectly for us. I love the energy of this city and the resources are endless for a musician.

MOL: Do you like any other forms of art? Such as painting? a favorite writer?

If I did not become a pianist, I would have majored in art history. I am fascinated by paintings and by the different artistic movements such as Fauvism, Cubism, and Dadaism. It’s interesting how art movements are born out of a reaction to what is happening in the era. My favorite museums are the Rodin museum in Paris and the Frick Collection in New York City.

I also enjoy reading a great deal. I may be biased, but my favorite writer is my late grandfather, Yong Ik Kim. He was an accomplished author who moved to the States from Korea in 1948. He wrote Blue in the Seed, The Wedding Shoes, and other novels for which he won numerous awards. It is amazing to me that he wrote in impeccable and beautiful English even though his native tongue was Korean.

MOL: What are some of your recent readings?

At the moment, I am reading a French novel Sans Famille by Hector Malot. My other favorite novels are Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt and Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky. It’s dangerous to read such good books—practicing can become of secondary concern when one is immersed in such tumultuous worlds!

MOL: What do you do for hobby, if any?

I practice yoga regularly, I love to cook pasta, and I enjoy listening to music. These three activities clear my mind and refuel me. I enjoy studying languages (French and Korean), reading, and playing tennis. Most of all, I love to spend time with my husband, family and friends.

MOL: What do you hope to achieve ten years from now in your music career?

I want to continue what I am doing now: spend quality time at the piano studying each piece and then travel around the world to share it with others in recitals and recordings. If I can continue to grow as a musician, I will be very happy.

MOL: In your opinion, what are the characteristics of a good performer?

This is so difficult to define! A good performer must possess a fine musical mind, technical facility, and above all, must say something through sound, phrasing, nuances, articulation, etc. A great performer has that "something" that one cannot explain. It’s just there.

MOL: How do you judge a good performance?

This is also very difficult to define because there are many complicated elements that are involved in a good performance. The most important of these elements is if I feel changed after hearing a recital. How can one describe what makes this possible? For example, I recently went to Pollini’s recital here in New York City at Carnegie Hall. I didn’t agree with everything that he did, but who could explain the tears and shivers that came to me during the second movement of the Beethoven’s Appassionata? It really is inexplicable…

MOL: Do you believe a performer must attend conservatory? What is your opinion on this?

No, I don’t believe that a performer must attend a conservatory or a music school. This, in fact, could be the downfall of many young musicians. One must follow a professor with whom s/he can develop a meaningful teacher-student relationship. I cannot stress the importance of this enough.

MOL: Some people say that music allows us to express ourselves in unique ways, to both share our similarities and our differences. What is your view of music and if so, Why should people integrate music into their lives? What does it offer?

As I mentioned earlier, I believe music offers solace to people. As a musician, it offers such a powerful vehicle from soul to sound. This is so easy to say, so hard to do! And it is a lifetime’s work, a commitment that can bring rewards far more fulfilling than fame and fortune.

MOL:  I think we need to wrap up at this point. So, on be half of MusicalOnline, we would like to thank you for your time and we wish all the success.

Interviewed by MusicalOnline on October, 2001