1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:10,800 You are listening to the PianoPod, where we talk to the brightest minds in the industry 2 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:17,040 about how they are bringing the piano into the 21st century. 3 00:00:17,040 --> 00:00:18,680 Welcome back to the PianoPod. 4 00:00:18,680 --> 00:00:20,360 I'm Clara Zhang. 5 00:00:20,360 --> 00:00:21,800 I am Eric Hunter. 6 00:00:21,800 --> 00:00:24,200 I'm Yukimi Song. 7 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:27,400 Today our guest is Min Kwon. 8 00:00:27,400 --> 00:00:33,580 Chamber American pianist Min Kwon excels in versatile career that encompasses contrived 9 00:00:33,580 --> 00:00:39,560 solo recitals and chamber music appearances, while in high demand around the world as a 10 00:00:39,560 --> 00:00:45,240 pedagogue, art advocate, and administrator, she has held professional engagements in over 11 00:00:45,240 --> 00:00:52,440 60 countries on seven continents and all 50 US states, and currently is a professor of 12 00:00:52,440 --> 00:00:58,360 piano at the Mason Gross School of Arts Rocker University since 2002. 13 00:00:58,360 --> 00:01:04,520 Dr. Kwon is also the founder and the director of the Center for Musical Excellence, CME, 14 00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:11,000 a nonprofit dedicated to mentoring and supporting gifted young musicians. 15 00:01:11,000 --> 00:01:18,160 She served as co-director of Vienna Contrary Fest in Austria and is the first music alumni 16 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:22,680 to have been invited to serve on the Juilliard School Council in New York. 17 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:26,360 Min Kwon is also a Stanley artist. 18 00:01:26,360 --> 00:01:29,880 Thank you so much for joining our show, Professor Kwon. 19 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:32,880 It's such an honor to have you. 20 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:33,880 Hello. 21 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:34,880 Thanks for having me. 22 00:01:34,880 --> 00:01:39,640 It's always a pleasure to be with fellow pianists and piano teachers. 23 00:01:39,640 --> 00:01:40,640 Absolutely. 24 00:01:40,640 --> 00:01:41,800 Thank you so much. 25 00:01:41,800 --> 00:01:44,320 So how was your summer? 26 00:01:44,320 --> 00:01:46,720 I saw you were in Vienna for a while. 27 00:01:46,720 --> 00:01:49,440 Yeah, I had a very, very eventful summer. 28 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:54,280 A lot of it was dedicated to my project, America Beautiful. 29 00:01:54,280 --> 00:02:02,160 And once it premiered, I think around July 4th that week, I immediately I left for Austria, 30 00:02:02,160 --> 00:02:05,280 where I go every summer for a festival there. 31 00:02:05,280 --> 00:02:10,160 And then I got to have a little free time after the vacation that I really, really needed 32 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:11,920 with two of my girls. 33 00:02:11,920 --> 00:02:14,200 And I just got back not too long ago. 34 00:02:14,200 --> 00:02:16,920 So that is so, so wonderful. 35 00:02:16,920 --> 00:02:17,920 Welcome back. 36 00:02:17,920 --> 00:02:18,920 Thank you. 37 00:02:18,920 --> 00:02:19,920 You too. 38 00:02:19,920 --> 00:02:20,920 I know. 39 00:02:20,920 --> 00:02:23,400 It was like a dream, right? 40 00:02:23,400 --> 00:02:28,280 So anyway, I want to tell our audience a little bit of how we met. 41 00:02:28,280 --> 00:02:33,240 Really, actually today is our very first time meeting face to face, even on the internet. 42 00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:36,000 But I feel like I've known you for a very long time. 43 00:02:36,000 --> 00:02:38,800 You probably didn't notice me when I was much younger. 44 00:02:38,800 --> 00:02:45,560 But when I first moved to New York, like 13, 14 years ago, I remember meeting a clarinetist. 45 00:02:45,560 --> 00:02:51,880 And I on that same day, I somehow came across a I think a performance of yours online. 46 00:02:51,880 --> 00:02:55,480 And I was telling this, you know, new friend, I was like, Oh, I really like this pianist. 47 00:02:55,480 --> 00:03:00,000 And then he was like, Oh, I heard students all accompany me. 48 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,480 I'm doing my DMA and rockers. 49 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:06,960 And I was like, Wow, that's so he said so much great things about you. 50 00:03:06,960 --> 00:03:11,360 So that's in the beginning, and then eventually we got connected through social media. 51 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:14,800 And the, you know, internet really brings everybody together. 52 00:03:14,800 --> 00:03:19,360 And later on, I actually became a big fan of your sister's YouTube channel. 53 00:03:19,360 --> 00:03:27,680 So I feel like I've known your family and your just passion for music so much. 54 00:03:27,680 --> 00:03:30,200 So anyway, thank you. 55 00:03:30,200 --> 00:03:31,200 Thank you for that. 56 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:32,200 Thank you for your enthusiasm. 57 00:03:32,200 --> 00:03:33,200 I love that. 58 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:34,200 Thank you. 59 00:03:34,200 --> 00:03:35,680 Yeah, thank you. 60 00:03:35,680 --> 00:03:39,560 So now today, the biggest thing we really want to talk about that we want to talk about 61 00:03:39,560 --> 00:03:43,720 so many things, but well, let's start from your beginnings. 62 00:03:43,720 --> 00:03:46,640 I would love to know what was your background like? 63 00:03:46,640 --> 00:03:51,400 I know you were born in Korea and you came. 64 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:52,720 How was it like? 65 00:03:52,720 --> 00:03:53,720 Yeah. 66 00:03:53,720 --> 00:03:58,640 Well, I grew up in a very musical environment because my mother was a piano teacher and 67 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:04,440 she was someone who was specialized in very young children, actually age three and up. 68 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:09,760 And she was so gifted in teaching them and make just music be part of their everyday 69 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:11,560 life, you know? 70 00:04:11,560 --> 00:04:14,480 And she had no intention to teach me. 71 00:04:14,480 --> 00:04:19,880 But I just grew up with all of her students coming to our house all the time. 72 00:04:19,880 --> 00:04:24,880 And I think it was actually when she was out, she had an assistant teacher and the assistant 73 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:30,740 teacher found me at the piano and, you know, trying to play by ear. 74 00:04:30,740 --> 00:04:34,920 And also I heard that whenever her students, my mom's students would make a mistake, I 75 00:04:34,920 --> 00:04:38,880 would always go like this, you know? 76 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:41,120 You had a very strong, perfect pitch. 77 00:04:41,120 --> 00:04:44,520 And then they discovered, yeah, I had perfect pitch. 78 00:04:44,520 --> 00:04:46,760 So that's my sister actually. 79 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:52,160 And then I think I kind of started playing piano and then violin and cello. 80 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:54,600 And you know, I sang in a choir. 81 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:59,640 I mean, it was so very, very natural for me. 82 00:04:59,640 --> 00:05:05,640 And it only like maybe when I turned 11, 12, and you know, there's a very famous art school 83 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:07,880 called Yewon in Seoul. 84 00:05:07,880 --> 00:05:09,200 And I think I wanted to go there. 85 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:12,000 And my mom said, you know, you have to pick one instrument. 86 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:13,400 This is just getting too much. 87 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:14,400 Right. 88 00:05:14,400 --> 00:05:15,400 Too many choices. 89 00:05:15,400 --> 00:05:17,600 So that's when I picked piano. 90 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:19,520 I became serious with it. 91 00:05:19,520 --> 00:05:23,640 And then just a couple years later, I got into the school, Yewon. 92 00:05:23,640 --> 00:05:28,720 It's art school with music, dance and pre-college program. 93 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:31,720 It was a middle school every day thing. 94 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:37,080 And then after a couple of years, maybe not even, I came to America and I went to Curtis. 95 00:05:37,080 --> 00:05:38,880 And that's where it all began. 96 00:05:38,880 --> 00:05:39,880 Wow. 97 00:05:39,880 --> 00:05:43,520 That is such a fun actually experience from the beginning. 98 00:05:43,520 --> 00:05:48,680 You know, sometimes I know a lot of musicians we are, you know, I grew up in a long, long 99 00:05:48,680 --> 00:05:50,160 generation in China. 100 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:52,680 So we were kind of like, give a instrument. 101 00:05:52,680 --> 00:05:54,000 If you do it, you do it. 102 00:05:54,000 --> 00:05:55,920 Well, otherwise you don't even do it. 103 00:05:55,920 --> 00:05:56,920 Right. 104 00:05:56,920 --> 00:06:00,720 But you had many instruments to choose from, it seems like. 105 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:02,720 So that's very exciting. 106 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:08,600 And I do want to know a bit more of your days in Curtis and at Juilliard. 107 00:06:08,600 --> 00:06:14,880 And I know you were the first award only council for Juilliard later on, right? 108 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,040 When you became alumni. 109 00:06:17,040 --> 00:06:22,680 How was that experience coming from Korea in the very beginning? 110 00:06:22,680 --> 00:06:27,200 You know, so when I was in my teens, early teens, I had already made that view with the 111 00:06:27,200 --> 00:06:32,120 orchestras and, you know, getting into really what it is to be a musician. 112 00:06:32,120 --> 00:06:34,120 And I really wanted that. 113 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:39,720 And I remember reading music magazines and it was first in Korea also called Auditorium. 114 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:44,840 And there were such glorious stories and pictures of conservatories in America. 115 00:06:44,840 --> 00:06:47,760 And of course, I dreamt of going there. 116 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:49,200 And there's a little funny story. 117 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:54,840 And of course, to send a 12, 13 year old abroad alone, I mean, that's not a reality for many, 118 00:06:54,840 --> 00:06:57,320 many families. 119 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:02,120 But I was very lucky that my father, company that he worked for had these branches. 120 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:05,700 So he had an opportunity to go work abroad. 121 00:07:05,700 --> 00:07:12,760 And I remember him knowing my desire and wish to go abroad and study at the time. 122 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:18,820 First he was assigned to go to Norway, Oslo, Norway, because he worked with shipping company, 123 00:07:18,820 --> 00:07:21,120 the building company of Hyundai. 124 00:07:21,120 --> 00:07:22,560 So Norway. 125 00:07:22,560 --> 00:07:25,600 And I remember saying, you know, no way, I'm not going there. 126 00:07:25,600 --> 00:07:28,320 No way, Norway, no, I'm going to go to America. 127 00:07:28,320 --> 00:07:29,760 I'm going to go to Curtis. 128 00:07:29,760 --> 00:07:31,600 So he turned that down. 129 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:36,000 And then the following year or, you know, and then he said it was London, you know, 130 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:40,760 and you know, now looking back, of course, any of those countries would have been fine. 131 00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:43,960 But I was very stubborn about going to Curtis. 132 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:45,960 So we said no to London. 133 00:07:45,960 --> 00:07:47,600 And then finally he comes. 134 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:48,600 Yay, New York. 135 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:50,700 You know, New Jersey, New York. 136 00:07:50,700 --> 00:07:52,560 So that's how we came. 137 00:07:52,560 --> 00:07:56,260 And it was just like a month or two before the audition time at Curtis. 138 00:07:56,260 --> 00:08:03,700 So I remember really like, you know, cramming to prepare the audition pieces and all that. 139 00:08:03,700 --> 00:08:08,940 And then once I got in, I remember my teacher at this time was in Island of Sokolov. 140 00:08:08,940 --> 00:08:09,940 God bless her. 141 00:08:09,940 --> 00:08:13,520 She was 106 and she just passed away last year. 142 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:14,760 Yeah. 143 00:08:14,760 --> 00:08:20,400 And when I first went to her, she was in her seventies and I thought she was old then, 144 00:08:20,400 --> 00:08:22,200 but you know, old by age. 145 00:08:22,200 --> 00:08:26,160 But you know, my lessons with her was at 730 a.m. 146 00:08:26,160 --> 00:08:31,440 And you can leave it because I had to go to middle school, high school after my lesson, 147 00:08:31,440 --> 00:08:33,520 which started at 845. 148 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:36,440 So she squeezed me for lessons 730 a.m. 149 00:08:36,440 --> 00:08:38,200 And you know how brutal that is? 150 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:41,880 It's wintertime, especially waking up pitch dark. 151 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:42,880 And fall off the auto. 152 00:08:42,880 --> 00:08:46,720 Anyway, yeah, but she was always like prepared. 153 00:08:46,720 --> 00:08:49,600 I mean, with her, she has a signature hat. 154 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:50,600 Yeah. 155 00:08:50,600 --> 00:08:51,600 And yeah. 156 00:08:51,600 --> 00:08:56,040 And always beautifully dressed and makeup and just perfect. 157 00:08:56,040 --> 00:09:02,520 And then sometimes, you know, when I first started this 730 lessons, I would get up at 158 00:09:02,520 --> 00:09:07,280 430, practice, you know, and then go. 159 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:11,560 And then little by little, I got lazy and my alarm, I would miss my alarm. 160 00:09:11,560 --> 00:09:17,120 And sometimes like at 725, I would wake up, oh my God, and I would run to my lesson. 161 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:20,480 So those are my fun memories of my early days. 162 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:28,400 Now, I want to basically going into the project you've been doing, I assume it's because of 163 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:35,160 all this early childhood experience as a musician and this all this fun, really, that perhaps 164 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:36,880 that the idea came up. 165 00:09:36,880 --> 00:09:41,360 But you can tell us more about this beautiful project you have started. 166 00:09:41,360 --> 00:09:46,440 And beautiful on July 4th, and which I believe is one of your daughter's birthday as well. 167 00:09:46,440 --> 00:09:47,440 Right? 168 00:09:47,440 --> 00:09:48,440 Yes. 169 00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:49,440 Wow, Clara, you've done your research. 170 00:09:49,440 --> 00:09:50,440 Yes. 171 00:09:50,440 --> 00:09:51,440 Thank you. 172 00:09:51,440 --> 00:09:52,440 Curious a person. 173 00:09:52,440 --> 00:09:54,560 But I would love to hear more. 174 00:09:54,560 --> 00:10:02,280 You know, I think I've always had this curiosity and desire to program, make concerts or create 175 00:10:02,280 --> 00:10:06,980 something an idea, you know, that's always what excites me. 176 00:10:06,980 --> 00:10:12,720 So even when, you know, I have this much younger sister, as you know, you said you follow her 177 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:13,720 YouTube. 178 00:10:13,720 --> 00:10:14,720 That's right. 179 00:10:14,720 --> 00:10:16,320 So she was kind of like my guinea pig. 180 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:22,120 And you know, and I was teaching her to play violin, but also we would always like transcribe 181 00:10:22,120 --> 00:10:25,920 or putting on a concert or, you know, with different theme. 182 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:28,600 So this kind of passion continued. 183 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:34,200 So when I became a professor at Rutgers, every year I decided to put on concerts with student 184 00:10:34,200 --> 00:10:35,920 pianos to studio. 185 00:10:35,920 --> 00:10:37,160 Right. 186 00:10:37,160 --> 00:10:42,400 So having this kind of coming up with themes or, you know, storytelling is just kind of 187 00:10:42,400 --> 00:10:43,680 part of what I do. 188 00:10:43,680 --> 00:10:48,560 And I think my job as being a musician or artistic director. 189 00:10:48,560 --> 00:10:52,520 And of course, later with CME, I know we're going to talk about that. 190 00:10:52,520 --> 00:10:56,480 Also I had to put on a lot of concerts, produce concerts. 191 00:10:56,480 --> 00:11:02,760 So America Brought Beautiful is actually just kind of natural outcome of what I do. 192 00:11:02,760 --> 00:11:09,240 I think about five, four years ago, I did a concert at Carnegie of Diabelli's unknown 193 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:10,720 variations we called it. 194 00:11:10,720 --> 00:11:16,520 So you know, you all know about everybody knows Beethoven's 33 Diabelli, but at the 195 00:11:16,520 --> 00:11:24,520 time Diabelli actually commissioned 50 other composers that were active in central Vienna 196 00:11:24,520 --> 00:11:27,800 to write a variation on his little theme in C major. 197 00:11:27,800 --> 00:11:28,800 Right. 198 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:31,080 And they are just actually very, very charming. 199 00:11:31,080 --> 00:11:37,080 There's a whole variety of there's front list Schubert, Hummel, you know, to people now 200 00:11:37,080 --> 00:11:39,120 who are forgotten. 201 00:11:39,120 --> 00:11:44,680 But it's such a fun spectrum of hearing these 50 pieces in concert. 202 00:11:44,680 --> 00:11:46,080 So we did that. 203 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:50,680 And also at the time we commissioned, we had a little competition at Rutgers with composition 204 00:11:50,680 --> 00:11:53,960 department and asked them to write new variations. 205 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:59,720 So we mixed the old with the new, you know, I find these things always very, very fun. 206 00:11:59,720 --> 00:12:02,960 And also getting as many people involved as possible. 207 00:12:02,960 --> 00:12:07,660 So you know, I think this communal aspect of music making and I think that's one thing 208 00:12:07,660 --> 00:12:13,440 I really disliked about being a pianist is that you always spend so much time alone, 209 00:12:13,440 --> 00:12:16,400 you know, in solitude practicing alone. 210 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:19,720 And I wasn't always but I'm a very much people person. 211 00:12:19,720 --> 00:12:21,920 I always wanted to be in the orchestra. 212 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:25,880 That was one problem with being a pianist. 213 00:12:25,880 --> 00:12:31,120 So I don't want to attract too much, but I actually auditioned to be in Chicago Civic 214 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:35,440 Orchestra, which I was principal keyboardist for two years, and then Florida Philharmonic 215 00:12:35,440 --> 00:12:39,320 and even Los Angeles Philharmonic to be the pianist in the orchestra. 216 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:42,640 That's how much I wanted to be a part of a group. 217 00:12:42,640 --> 00:12:47,160 I wanted to belong somewhere with my fellow musicians. 218 00:12:47,160 --> 00:12:52,000 So putting on these concerts is pretty natural thing for me. 219 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:58,520 So after Diabelli, I've always been wanting to create 21st century American Diabelli of 220 00:12:58,520 --> 00:12:59,520 sort. 221 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:05,080 And I because I really believe America is the creative melting pot and so many interesting 222 00:13:05,080 --> 00:13:09,360 things are happening on a daily basis, right? 223 00:13:09,360 --> 00:13:14,120 And then that that that idea kind of was, you know, growing inside of me. 224 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:15,840 And of course, the pandemic happened. 225 00:13:15,840 --> 00:13:19,960 I had I think already started contacting some composers. 226 00:13:19,960 --> 00:13:24,600 And then with pandemic that that stopped kind of everything for everyone. 227 00:13:24,600 --> 00:13:31,640 Of course, I also had a few months of slump, depression, everything being canceled, teaching 228 00:13:31,640 --> 00:13:32,840 students via Zoom. 229 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:33,840 This was no fun. 230 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:36,560 You know, I think we all went through that. 231 00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:40,920 And then I thought, wait a minute, there has to be something that we can do. 232 00:13:40,920 --> 00:13:44,960 And I wanted to do something with a lot of people together, because, you know, you make 233 00:13:44,960 --> 00:13:50,560 a stronger statement as a mass instead of individual. 234 00:13:50,560 --> 00:13:55,840 And also there are a lot of, you know, frustrating, depressing things happening every time you 235 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:57,400 turn on the news. 236 00:13:57,400 --> 00:14:04,320 And we were all watching in our own bedroom in our corner, just being sad or angry or 237 00:14:04,320 --> 00:14:06,880 confused about the status. 238 00:14:06,880 --> 00:14:09,000 But then can we do something positive? 239 00:14:09,000 --> 00:14:13,120 Can we turn it around for something new and creative? 240 00:14:13,120 --> 00:14:17,440 And mostly because, you know, my kids were home, virtual schooling. 241 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:23,280 They're too young to understand what is going on when they grow up and read about the time, 242 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:25,240 2020 or pandemic. 243 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:27,160 Is this all they're going to read about? 244 00:14:27,160 --> 00:14:32,240 You know, why don't we create something that in 2020 this also happened? 245 00:14:32,240 --> 00:14:34,440 So that's what America Beautiful Project is. 246 00:14:34,440 --> 00:14:37,080 So I started reaching out. 247 00:14:37,080 --> 00:14:42,580 First I started with listening to a lot of these composers that I hadn't really paid 248 00:14:42,580 --> 00:14:48,560 attention to or you know how we are, we get very busy and we are so lucky playing music 249 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:50,760 from two, three hundred years old. 250 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:57,480 So we don't really have to as pianists look into explore the new music that's being written 251 00:14:57,480 --> 00:14:58,480 every day. 252 00:14:58,480 --> 00:15:03,280 And but I think pandemic really gave me the time now to do that. 253 00:15:03,280 --> 00:15:10,000 And I really enjoyed that experience for me was my outlet for connecting with outside 254 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:15,960 world, other musicians, and then calling them, zooming with them, talking about the music 255 00:15:15,960 --> 00:15:17,640 and what we can do together. 256 00:15:17,640 --> 00:15:20,120 So that's the result. 257 00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:27,240 I asked America, you know, seventy five now, you know, I wasn't going to do that many. 258 00:15:27,240 --> 00:15:31,960 I was maybe fifty would have been a dream number because that was the Abelis number 259 00:15:31,960 --> 00:15:32,960 fifty. 260 00:15:32,960 --> 00:15:35,960 But then it just grew and more people came on board. 261 00:15:35,960 --> 00:15:41,320 They kept saying that, you know, many said no also, but many said yes. 262 00:15:41,320 --> 00:15:46,040 And I simply asked this, you know, it's like a musical diary or, you know, what do you 263 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:48,040 feel about America today? 264 00:15:48,040 --> 00:15:49,600 Right. 265 00:15:49,600 --> 00:15:55,120 And I think it's a really beautiful snapshot of the time, very intense time that we experienced 266 00:15:55,120 --> 00:15:58,760 together because, you know, they were very honest also. 267 00:15:58,760 --> 00:16:01,400 And that's what music allows us to do. 268 00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:05,680 You know, some music is very angry. 269 00:16:05,680 --> 00:16:09,760 Some is very poignant and sad or distraught. 270 00:16:09,760 --> 00:16:12,840 And some is still very beautiful and hopeful. 271 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:20,700 And so it's been such a privilege to get to know these composers and to learn their language. 272 00:16:20,700 --> 00:16:22,160 And so I'm still in the process. 273 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:25,240 So we've premiered quite a lot, virtually only. 274 00:16:25,240 --> 00:16:30,400 It's my dream to be able to bring that to, you know, everyone around the country. 275 00:16:30,400 --> 00:16:32,960 And we are starting to do that in the fall. 276 00:16:32,960 --> 00:16:40,440 And another batch of maybe 10, 12 more composers, including Tanya Leone, who is the Sears Pulitzer 277 00:16:40,440 --> 00:16:46,920 Prize winner, and many other wonderful composers are in that premiere to take place. 278 00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:50,560 Just sorry to interrupt, but I'm just curious to know. 279 00:16:50,560 --> 00:16:55,680 So all these composers are arranging this piece for their own interpretation? 280 00:16:55,680 --> 00:16:56,680 Is that what it is? 281 00:16:56,680 --> 00:16:57,680 Very good question. 282 00:16:57,680 --> 00:17:00,800 So no, it's they have rewritten. 283 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:06,360 So it's kind of, you know, I left it very open for them. 284 00:17:06,360 --> 00:17:09,520 But it's not simply rearrangement of the tune. 285 00:17:09,520 --> 00:17:15,840 It's more the America, the beautiful, the song is there to give kind of like a common 286 00:17:15,840 --> 00:17:18,680 ground and as a starting point. 287 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:23,760 But it's everything, the lyrics or the melody or rhythm, they can use whatever the element 288 00:17:23,760 --> 00:17:25,560 that catches them. 289 00:17:25,560 --> 00:17:28,960 But these are completely new pieces. 290 00:17:28,960 --> 00:17:33,000 And some actually you cannot even recognize. 291 00:17:33,000 --> 00:17:37,520 And some, of course, composers use some materials from the song. 292 00:17:37,520 --> 00:17:44,600 And some used to depict certain lyric words that really touch them, you know, so there's 293 00:17:44,600 --> 00:17:47,680 a whole lot of variety. 294 00:17:47,680 --> 00:17:56,160 So out of all these Americana patriotic songs, including National Anthem, so what's the reason 295 00:17:56,160 --> 00:18:00,080 you chose this specific piece, specific song? 296 00:18:00,080 --> 00:18:05,840 I love the lyrics, you know, but what was the reason behind it? 297 00:18:05,840 --> 00:18:10,320 Well, I mean, I was looking for something that was very American, something that everyone 298 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:15,000 can recognize or relate to and identify with. 299 00:18:15,000 --> 00:18:21,720 And also I wanted to reach public audience just beyond a small circle of classical music 300 00:18:21,720 --> 00:18:23,440 or new music lovers. 301 00:18:23,440 --> 00:18:29,000 You know, and because that's what as musicians we should be doing every day anyway. 302 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:33,800 We shouldn't just be playing for each other and, you know, reach that same how many people, 303 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:35,120 you know. 304 00:18:35,120 --> 00:18:41,400 I consider my day very successful when I'm able to convert non-classical music lover 305 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:47,360 to be curious about what I do and to listen to one of my recordings or come to my concert 306 00:18:47,360 --> 00:18:50,240 and become a fan, you know. 307 00:18:50,240 --> 00:18:54,640 So in that regard, America the Beautiful, everybody knows, you know, you've heard it 308 00:18:54,640 --> 00:19:03,740 in football games and inaugural inaugurations or any in school, you know, important locations 309 00:19:03,740 --> 00:19:10,240 and they all kind of have a memory or something that they can identify with. 310 00:19:10,240 --> 00:19:17,840 So that and then coincidentally, it was the length was perfect to be a theme for a variation. 311 00:19:17,840 --> 00:19:22,720 It's short enough, it's simple enough and yet there are intervals and like there's enough 312 00:19:22,720 --> 00:19:29,520 for composers to take from, you know, as a theme you can't have such a complex piece 313 00:19:29,520 --> 00:19:32,000 of music anyway, you know. 314 00:19:32,000 --> 00:19:36,480 And the lyrics as you mentioned is very meaningful, very hopeful. 315 00:19:36,480 --> 00:19:39,560 It's idealistic version of America. 316 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:46,600 But why not start there, you know, because there was enough darkness around us. 317 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:54,200 I mean, that's how this country started anyway with hope and a dream, right? 318 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:55,680 Yeah, yeah. 319 00:19:55,680 --> 00:19:57,560 And of course, it's a work in progress. 320 00:19:57,560 --> 00:20:04,480 The country is still, you know, and the fact that we are so many people that come from 321 00:20:04,480 --> 00:20:07,640 so many different backgrounds, that's the biggest challenge. 322 00:20:07,640 --> 00:20:14,000 I think that's our biggest strength also at the same time challenge, the fact that they 323 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:18,480 are just the country is so big and there are just so many different kind of people with 324 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:25,080 different belief system or the culture or traditions that they bring to this country. 325 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:30,520 But there has to be a way to come together and make it our strength and it's really something 326 00:20:30,520 --> 00:20:32,800 to celebrate our diversity, right? 327 00:20:32,800 --> 00:20:33,800 Right. 328 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:40,640 I have to say that when I first watched the CBS premieres on YouTube of your shows, I 329 00:20:40,640 --> 00:20:46,760 mean of these concerts, I was especially the one in Brooklyn, I believe it was in a cemetery, 330 00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:47,760 right? 331 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:52,480 It was so beautiful because I think you keep me and I both became American citizens in 332 00:20:52,480 --> 00:20:57,600 the last couple of years during the pandemic, you know, I did right before and she did just 333 00:20:57,600 --> 00:20:59,600 recently this year. 334 00:20:59,600 --> 00:21:03,840 So it's, you know, either way, it's very interesting, right? 335 00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:08,280 Because some countries like Europeans, I think they can have dual citizenship. 336 00:21:08,280 --> 00:21:13,280 For me as a Chinese, I kind of have to let go of the Chinese and become American, which 337 00:21:13,280 --> 00:21:15,280 is, you know, it's a choice. 338 00:21:15,280 --> 00:21:19,640 But sometimes and I have always sort of knew I was going to come to America since I was 339 00:21:19,640 --> 00:21:20,640 three years old. 340 00:21:20,640 --> 00:21:25,160 But still, right, it was interesting, you know, beginning for me as well. 341 00:21:25,160 --> 00:21:30,280 But when you actually finally do it, you do have to ask, you know, what does that this 342 00:21:30,280 --> 00:21:31,280 mean? 343 00:21:31,280 --> 00:21:32,280 Right? 344 00:21:32,280 --> 00:21:40,000 So I want to know how was your experience as an immigrant and a female, especially, 345 00:21:40,000 --> 00:21:44,480 you know, in the very beginning, and I know you accomplished so much and you play with 346 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:48,640 your sister and she's a beautiful violinist. 347 00:21:48,640 --> 00:21:52,820 I think in the beginning, I probably knew her work even a bit more than yours. 348 00:21:52,820 --> 00:21:56,280 And then I came across both of your work. 349 00:21:56,280 --> 00:22:00,400 So how was like in the very beginning, when you first came? 350 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:04,160 Well, that's I think a loaded question. 351 00:22:04,160 --> 00:22:12,240 But you know, I am someone who don't think of me as Korean or Asian or woman. 352 00:22:12,240 --> 00:22:18,840 And I've kind of always charged on as I'm a person, you know, I'm a human being, I'm 353 00:22:18,840 --> 00:22:22,000 a musician, I'm a pianist. 354 00:22:22,000 --> 00:22:24,120 But I can share it with you a couple of stories. 355 00:22:24,120 --> 00:22:29,080 And of course, that discrimination or, you know, people have preconceived ideas or, you 356 00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:31,440 know, that's always there. 357 00:22:31,440 --> 00:22:37,720 And I think it's always how you turn it around or how you show them that that's not the case, 358 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:38,720 maybe. 359 00:22:38,720 --> 00:22:43,960 I mean, luckily, in music, I feel like we live in a very international community, right? 360 00:22:43,960 --> 00:22:44,960 Exactly. 361 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:49,920 So even when I came to Curtis, back then, I mean, not like now, but still there were 362 00:22:49,920 --> 00:22:52,280 like maybe eight of us Koreans. 363 00:22:52,280 --> 00:22:57,840 I mean, now there are more Koreans and Chinese the whole school, you know, but still, you 364 00:22:57,840 --> 00:23:01,240 know, I didn't feel alone in that regard. 365 00:23:01,240 --> 00:23:07,340 And also, Julie are also a school is a very international place. 366 00:23:07,340 --> 00:23:13,600 So I always felt very close to, I don't know, Norwegians or German or Austrians, they're 367 00:23:13,600 --> 00:23:16,400 all my buddies, you know. 368 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:22,480 But a couple of stories is that I remember playing Gershwin Preludes in a lesson, and 369 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:29,200 the teacher was kind of stunned and she said, Why do you play this so well? 370 00:23:29,200 --> 00:23:34,560 You know, like, like, you're not American, like, how do you understand this? 371 00:23:34,560 --> 00:23:37,400 You know, so that kind of thing. 372 00:23:37,400 --> 00:23:44,240 And then another time at Julliard, this older lady was running the placement office, which 373 00:23:44,240 --> 00:23:47,840 gives out gigs to students. 374 00:23:47,840 --> 00:23:52,640 And at the time, there is this six star cruise line being formed. 375 00:23:52,640 --> 00:23:57,440 And our chairman of the board, whose name was Mary Rogers, and she was the daughter 376 00:23:57,440 --> 00:24:01,080 of Richard Rogers, who wrote Sound of Music. 377 00:24:01,080 --> 00:24:06,000 And this cruise line wanted to put on a production Broadway type show of Richard Rogers, Sound 378 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:07,600 of Music and other things. 379 00:24:07,600 --> 00:24:13,360 So the cruise line approached the foundation, Richard Rogers Foundation for that right. 380 00:24:13,360 --> 00:24:19,960 And I think Mary was very clever in making a deal, negotiation in that, you know, I will 381 00:24:19,960 --> 00:24:25,520 give that to you if you invite some of our top Julliard students to come out and perform. 382 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:28,400 So it was kind of she was a pioneer in that. 383 00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:34,600 And nowadays, cruise industry, well, not before pandemic is very, very popular. 384 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:39,960 But this was our Julliard students started to go and perform little classical concerts 385 00:24:39,960 --> 00:24:41,200 on board. 386 00:24:41,200 --> 00:24:47,640 And it's a great experience because you reach this kind of patron and you have a captive 387 00:24:47,640 --> 00:24:53,280 audience on the ship and you get to travel around the world and see and socialize. 388 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:54,280 It's a great opportunity. 389 00:24:54,280 --> 00:25:01,840 But anyway, and then I started to hear from my male classmates, studio mates, that they 390 00:25:01,840 --> 00:25:06,680 were being invited to go out, you know, and it's funny story. 391 00:25:06,680 --> 00:25:09,760 But at the time, I'm thinking, wait a minute, why just them? 392 00:25:09,760 --> 00:25:12,360 Like I was winning all the competitions. 393 00:25:12,360 --> 00:25:17,120 I was, you know, I won Gina Bacow, I won the concerto competition, everything at the time. 394 00:25:17,120 --> 00:25:19,160 But how come they never asked me? 395 00:25:19,160 --> 00:25:23,400 So I asked the lady actually who books these musicians. 396 00:25:23,400 --> 00:25:27,400 And you know, she's told me she said, this is not a job for you. 397 00:25:27,400 --> 00:25:29,360 It's not a job for a girl. 398 00:25:29,360 --> 00:25:32,180 You know, I remember that. 399 00:25:32,180 --> 00:25:34,400 And I'm thinking, why not? 400 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:36,320 Why is it not, you know? 401 00:25:36,320 --> 00:25:40,480 So I'll tell you something that I only share with very few people. 402 00:25:40,480 --> 00:25:44,240 Well, now it's going to go out in public. 403 00:25:44,240 --> 00:25:45,800 So I, you know, I didn't stop there. 404 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:47,840 So you know, I wrote to the cruise line. 405 00:25:47,840 --> 00:25:50,500 I wrote a letter. 406 00:25:50,500 --> 00:25:55,400 And at the time, my sister and I, we had our, we were the first Koreans to record for BMG, 407 00:25:55,400 --> 00:25:58,680 which was Red Label, RCA Red Seal. 408 00:25:58,680 --> 00:26:03,920 I put the CD in and I said, you know, I'm hearing a lot of my friends are starting to 409 00:26:03,920 --> 00:26:05,200 go and perform. 410 00:26:05,200 --> 00:26:10,480 And I said, we would love to do that as well, you know, and I'm so and so. 411 00:26:10,480 --> 00:26:13,560 So that was pretty brave, I think. 412 00:26:13,560 --> 00:26:16,360 This is nine years ago, I was young. 413 00:26:16,360 --> 00:26:17,560 And then, but you know what? 414 00:26:17,560 --> 00:26:21,320 I did that just so that I could say I've done it. 415 00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:23,040 And then I really forgot about it. 416 00:26:23,040 --> 00:26:24,920 I forgot about it. 417 00:26:24,920 --> 00:26:28,580 And about three, four months later, like the phone rings. 418 00:26:28,580 --> 00:26:32,240 This is before email or internet or YouTube, you know? 419 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:37,000 And then they said, Hello, I am the vice president of entertainment at you know, and we would 420 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:39,280 love to invite you to come out. 421 00:26:39,280 --> 00:26:41,360 So that was like incredible. 422 00:26:41,360 --> 00:26:43,600 Oh my gosh. 423 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:44,600 Yeah. 424 00:26:44,600 --> 00:26:52,160 So for many years, that actually became and we became one of the more most popular. 425 00:26:52,160 --> 00:26:55,720 I don't want to say entertainers. 426 00:26:55,720 --> 00:26:56,720 What do they call it? 427 00:26:56,720 --> 00:26:58,120 A guest artist on board. 428 00:26:58,120 --> 00:27:04,440 Because they also all the guests actually do a little like SAT type of survey at the 429 00:27:04,440 --> 00:27:09,400 end and they vote for their favorite missions or favorite guests. 430 00:27:09,400 --> 00:27:14,520 And it was always us classical musicians, which was very unusual, you know? 431 00:27:14,520 --> 00:27:19,680 Yeah, so my sister and I we did that together and I did that alone. 432 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:21,880 That's been our summer gig. 433 00:27:21,880 --> 00:27:24,640 That's amazing. 434 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:28,680 And you have no idea how many friends I made. 435 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:29,680 Wow. 436 00:27:29,680 --> 00:27:31,280 Along this ride. 437 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:36,560 Because one thing about concerts is that you play a concert, you fly in and you play a 438 00:27:36,560 --> 00:27:42,000 concert, maybe you say hello to people, you know, at the reception, you sign the CD and 439 00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:44,400 bye bye and you never see them again. 440 00:27:44,400 --> 00:27:46,840 But on a cruise, I was socializing with them. 441 00:27:46,840 --> 00:27:48,320 I was going to dinner with them. 442 00:27:48,320 --> 00:27:52,760 We had like 10 days to be together and they got to know me. 443 00:27:52,760 --> 00:27:58,480 And this is how I met some of my patrons who gave money to doctors and to CME, you know, 444 00:27:58,480 --> 00:28:04,240 things like that, because they got to really know me beyond that one night on stage. 445 00:28:04,240 --> 00:28:09,040 You know, they got to know me, my passion, what I would like to do and started supporting 446 00:28:09,040 --> 00:28:10,040 me that way. 447 00:28:10,040 --> 00:28:11,040 Exactly. 448 00:28:11,040 --> 00:28:15,480 Well, thank you for sharing those beautiful stories, you know, because the reason I asked 449 00:28:15,480 --> 00:28:20,720 is because I think, you know, even when I first came to the US, I was again in Kansas 450 00:28:20,720 --> 00:28:23,760 and I came with my best friend and we played a lot of gigs. 451 00:28:23,760 --> 00:28:29,520 You know, we were very young, we didn't speak English, but somehow I think your story, it 452 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:33,040 will inspire the generations of musicians to come. 453 00:28:33,040 --> 00:28:34,040 Right. 454 00:28:34,040 --> 00:28:39,080 Because being a musician really, it's one thing we have to learn to be an entrepreneur. 455 00:28:39,080 --> 00:28:40,080 Right. 456 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:47,200 We have to be humble, but we also have to learn to, well, if I don't say beautifully, 457 00:28:47,200 --> 00:28:51,760 we have to learn to sell ourselves, or at least we can't just sit in the practice and 458 00:28:51,760 --> 00:28:55,760 practice 10 hours and not have anyone know who we are. 459 00:28:55,760 --> 00:29:00,880 And so, and especially like you said, you know, all the first for you and your sister 460 00:29:00,880 --> 00:29:04,160 to just be out there and as classical musicians. 461 00:29:04,160 --> 00:29:05,160 Right. 462 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:09,800 Sometimes it's very different to be what they call entertainer. 463 00:29:09,800 --> 00:29:12,440 And it's another thing that we are playing classical music. 464 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:15,360 So thank you so much for that. 465 00:29:15,360 --> 00:29:20,480 I wanted to circle back to the project, Dr. Kwan, and ask you about working with these 466 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:21,480 composers. 467 00:29:21,480 --> 00:29:22,480 What was it like? 468 00:29:22,480 --> 00:29:24,720 What kind of conversations did you have? 469 00:29:24,720 --> 00:29:29,560 How did you even just, well, I guess you talked about how you got everybody together. 470 00:29:29,560 --> 00:29:33,440 But yeah, what was it like working with these composers on music that was just being written 471 00:29:33,440 --> 00:29:34,960 in the last year? 472 00:29:34,960 --> 00:29:37,160 Yeah, great question. 473 00:29:37,160 --> 00:29:44,320 So I wanted to say this has been for me personally, a perfect pandemic project, because also without 474 00:29:44,320 --> 00:29:51,200 it, you know, silver lining in everything is that I would not have imagined working 475 00:29:51,200 --> 00:29:52,200 with these people. 476 00:29:52,200 --> 00:29:53,720 They are not always in New York. 477 00:29:53,720 --> 00:29:58,840 You know, they are really all over the country and people become busy. 478 00:29:58,840 --> 00:30:01,120 But we were able to connect via Zoom. 479 00:30:01,120 --> 00:30:07,640 I would interview them, talk to them about their vision, and I would play for them. 480 00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:12,440 You know, it would have been impossible to make 75 trips to all their homes and studios 481 00:30:12,440 --> 00:30:14,480 around the country to play. 482 00:30:14,480 --> 00:30:21,520 But in a way, this virtual life of ours now made it possible. 483 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:24,080 And you know, we are different, but we're all the same. 484 00:30:24,080 --> 00:30:30,640 I think what I learned is that a lot of these composers, maybe more than half, are immigrants 485 00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:33,680 or their parents were immigrants, right? 486 00:30:33,680 --> 00:30:38,400 And so they all have stories to tell. 487 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:46,480 And usually they write abstract music, but this was a very specific assignment, right, 488 00:30:46,480 --> 00:30:49,840 to force them to think about America. 489 00:30:49,840 --> 00:30:51,000 What does it mean to you? 490 00:30:51,000 --> 00:30:52,920 What does it mean to you now? 491 00:30:52,920 --> 00:30:57,960 And of course, the reaction I got was like, how can I even think about America the beautiful 492 00:30:57,960 --> 00:31:01,000 when America is not a beautiful place? 493 00:31:01,000 --> 00:31:02,000 Right? 494 00:31:02,000 --> 00:31:09,120 Or, you know, like I don't write or patriotic themed things. 495 00:31:09,120 --> 00:31:17,100 And then it took some convincing for me to do, which is, yes, America is not beautiful. 496 00:31:17,100 --> 00:31:20,480 And this is why we have to do this now. 497 00:31:20,480 --> 00:31:21,480 Right? 498 00:31:21,480 --> 00:31:29,840 And this is kind of artists' responsibility to put a kind of lens on what is going on. 499 00:31:29,840 --> 00:31:34,920 And also having all these different types of music styles of which they write. 500 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:40,480 I mean, there's some experimental music where I'm like literally, you know, clusters, tone 501 00:31:40,480 --> 00:31:42,280 clusters banging. 502 00:31:42,280 --> 00:31:45,840 And then there's like little play of 12 tone. 503 00:31:45,840 --> 00:31:51,160 There's rock and roll or film style music. 504 00:31:51,160 --> 00:31:54,920 There's Indian, there's Syrian influence. 505 00:31:54,920 --> 00:31:58,360 You know, it's just, it's mind boggling, actually. 506 00:31:58,360 --> 00:32:01,840 And for me to put myself in their shoes. 507 00:32:01,840 --> 00:32:06,000 You know, I can't say I'm, I come from very traditional, you know, I went to Curtis and 508 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:09,720 Julia and played all the standard concertos and repertoire. 509 00:32:09,720 --> 00:32:10,720 Right? 510 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:15,520 So my heart and it will always be with Schubert or Schumann. 511 00:32:15,520 --> 00:32:18,840 You know, that's the music I used to identify with. 512 00:32:18,840 --> 00:32:19,840 Right? 513 00:32:19,840 --> 00:32:24,920 So, and I'm not one of those new music specialists that I, that I was always playing this new 514 00:32:24,920 --> 00:32:25,920 music. 515 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:30,480 I had many of premieres and when the music speaks to me, I play them. 516 00:32:30,480 --> 00:32:35,200 But this was a real, really different experience as you can imagine. 517 00:32:35,200 --> 00:32:37,440 But it's something that I loved. 518 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:43,400 I enjoyed, I thrived on so much because if something like a language is a little unusual, 519 00:32:43,400 --> 00:32:46,040 like, what does this mean? 520 00:32:46,040 --> 00:32:47,480 Why does this sound like this? 521 00:32:47,480 --> 00:32:51,400 You know, I had an opportunity to talk to the composer about it. 522 00:32:51,400 --> 00:32:52,400 Right. 523 00:32:52,400 --> 00:32:56,800 And we all know it's something you cannot do, you can't pick up the phone and call Beethoven. 524 00:32:56,800 --> 00:32:57,800 Why did you do this? 525 00:32:57,800 --> 00:33:00,920 But I could do that with these people. 526 00:33:00,920 --> 00:33:05,800 And the minute I talked to them, I mean, it like solved the problem, like the passages 527 00:33:05,800 --> 00:33:11,220 I was struggling with, like, because I knew where they were coming from. 528 00:33:11,220 --> 00:33:18,500 And I just felt like this is such a great lesson in not just music, but how we interact 529 00:33:18,500 --> 00:33:22,200 with each other, you know, or how we communicate. 530 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:25,280 You know, we don't, we meet someone for the first time or second time. 531 00:33:25,280 --> 00:33:29,960 We don't really understand why is he like that or why is he saying that? 532 00:33:29,960 --> 00:33:37,120 But if you take the time to go back to the intention of, you know, oh, this is what, 533 00:33:37,120 --> 00:33:41,080 you know, that just like takes care of so many things. 534 00:33:41,080 --> 00:33:43,840 And I just love that, that process. 535 00:33:43,840 --> 00:33:44,840 Yeah, totally. 536 00:33:44,840 --> 00:33:50,120 I mean, you're exploring the whole relationship between the performer and the composer and 537 00:33:50,120 --> 00:33:51,120 the audience, right? 538 00:33:51,120 --> 00:33:53,680 And how they how we communicate their intentions. 539 00:33:53,680 --> 00:33:59,160 I want to circle back a little bit because I loved how you were talking about how you 540 00:33:59,160 --> 00:34:03,400 had to convince some of the composers and especially during a dark time, what is America 541 00:34:03,400 --> 00:34:05,160 the beautiful mean? 542 00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:06,160 Right. 543 00:34:06,160 --> 00:34:12,400 And I just want to know what does being American mean to you? 544 00:34:12,400 --> 00:34:14,560 And what does this country represent to you? 545 00:34:14,560 --> 00:34:19,200 How do you see it? 546 00:34:19,200 --> 00:34:25,120 I love the fact that America is a country that welcomes all of us. 547 00:34:25,120 --> 00:34:26,120 It did. 548 00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:27,120 Right. 549 00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:28,400 And our parents. 550 00:34:28,400 --> 00:34:31,480 And it's a country that you can claim to be mine. 551 00:34:31,480 --> 00:34:33,640 You know, and we all made that choice. 552 00:34:33,640 --> 00:34:38,080 And it's that doesn't happen in other places in the world necessarily. 553 00:34:38,080 --> 00:34:39,200 Right. 554 00:34:39,200 --> 00:34:42,440 And I truly feel American, whatever that means. 555 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:44,760 And I think that's the beauty of it. 556 00:34:44,760 --> 00:34:51,080 The beauty of our country is that it American dream, as corny as it sounds, really was possible 557 00:34:51,080 --> 00:34:52,080 for me. 558 00:34:52,080 --> 00:34:57,080 And when I look back, could I have had all these amazing experiences? 559 00:34:57,080 --> 00:35:03,400 Had I just been growing up in Seoul and living there as cosmopolitan as the city is now and 560 00:35:03,400 --> 00:35:06,680 the country is, you know? 561 00:35:06,680 --> 00:35:11,120 And also, I like the fact that for one of the interviews with the Financial Times for 562 00:35:11,120 --> 00:35:17,040 America Beautiful Project, I had to actually count up how many students that I have encountered 563 00:35:17,040 --> 00:35:18,720 or I have taught. 564 00:35:18,720 --> 00:35:21,280 And it was like 33 countries. 565 00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:23,640 And it was mind boggling. 566 00:35:23,640 --> 00:35:27,240 Many of them I taught in America, not only at Rutgers. 567 00:35:27,240 --> 00:35:33,200 And at Rutgers, I had like very international studio about like 22 countries, students from 568 00:35:33,200 --> 00:35:34,200 22 countries. 569 00:35:34,200 --> 00:35:35,200 Yeah. 570 00:35:35,200 --> 00:35:39,480 But going to festivals or going to festivals abroad, you know? 571 00:35:39,480 --> 00:35:44,960 And I think being American allowed me to do this. 572 00:35:44,960 --> 00:35:51,440 And also, the second thing is being in America or being American is all about possibilities 573 00:35:51,440 --> 00:35:56,560 and also having that influence of so many different things. 574 00:35:56,560 --> 00:35:57,560 That's what's beautiful. 575 00:35:57,560 --> 00:36:03,040 I think one of my composers actually said that when asked, who was your influence? 576 00:36:03,040 --> 00:36:04,040 You know? 577 00:36:04,040 --> 00:36:05,040 Is it Mahler? 578 00:36:05,040 --> 00:36:06,040 Is it Beethoven? 579 00:36:06,040 --> 00:36:08,600 And he said, no, I'm American. 580 00:36:08,600 --> 00:36:12,960 So rock and roll, you know, is my influence. 581 00:36:12,960 --> 00:36:19,440 And it's actually Melinda Wagner, also a Juilliard faculty member, composer, Pulitzer Prize 582 00:36:19,440 --> 00:36:22,800 winning composer, wrote me a piece. 583 00:36:22,800 --> 00:36:31,040 It had influence of like all these names that escaped me. 584 00:36:31,040 --> 00:36:37,160 But it's not only Charles Ives, but it's Carole King. 585 00:36:37,160 --> 00:36:44,240 And it's like very, very cultural life that America is. 586 00:36:44,240 --> 00:36:46,440 You know what I mean? 587 00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:47,440 Yeah, this is... 588 00:36:47,440 --> 00:36:49,240 I find that very exciting. 589 00:36:49,240 --> 00:36:53,960 Yeah, this is actually a question I've been exploring a lot on my own lately, how do composers 590 00:36:53,960 --> 00:36:55,960 develop their own sound? 591 00:36:55,960 --> 00:37:00,640 And more and more the answer I'm finding is, well, you just copy other people. 592 00:37:00,640 --> 00:37:05,040 And then since everybody's tastes are very individual, you're pulling from all different 593 00:37:05,040 --> 00:37:09,240 areas after a while and that becomes your sound. 594 00:37:09,240 --> 00:37:16,840 I think it's a process just like us as a musician or performer finding us our sound, you know, 595 00:37:16,840 --> 00:37:21,560 through the language of Schumann or Chopin, right? 596 00:37:21,560 --> 00:37:26,640 But it's ultimately you who is speaking. 597 00:37:26,640 --> 00:37:34,920 And that's, I think, the ultimate and kind of never ending pursuit of being an artist. 598 00:37:34,920 --> 00:37:40,880 And I think that's why at my age right now, I mean, I am learning more now than I feel 599 00:37:40,880 --> 00:37:43,840 like I did when I was in my 20s. 600 00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:49,500 And every day at the piano is so much more fun now, you know? 601 00:37:49,500 --> 00:37:57,180 And I want to continue to grow until I'm 100, like that. 602 00:37:57,180 --> 00:37:59,760 This concludes part one of our interview with Min Kwan. 603 00:37:59,760 --> 00:38:04,020 Tune in next time to learn about her biggest artistic influences and how she created the 604 00:38:04,020 --> 00:38:27,440 Center for Musical Excellence to support young musicians in their careers.