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French cellist Edgar Moreau performs in Seoul in December

French cellist Edgar Moreau performs in Seoul in December

Posted November. 29, 2018 07:42,   

Updated November. 29, 2018 07:42

한국어

Bach’s Unaccompanied Suite No. 2 in D minor (Sarabande) played at the memorial event, marking the anniversary of Paris terror attacks that shocked the world on Nov. 13, 2015. The entire country held its breath and listened attentively to the melody. A silent tribute followed the music. It was magical moment music can only create. It was Edgar Moreau, 24, who played the Bach’s music that day. This rising cellist will be performing in Korea for the first time next Tuesday. This reporter met him in Paris.

ㅡHow did you get to play at the memorial event?

“Most of the victims of the Paris terror attacks were young people. I was chosen because I was one of the youngest professional cellists and then-president Francois Hollande wanted Bach’s Unaccompanied Suite to be played at the memorial event. I still vividly remember playing in front of the sad and desperate faces of the families of the victims."

ㅡThis is your first time performing in Korea. I heard that you are going to play Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto.

“This is my first time visiting Korea. I’m looking forward to it. I started playing the cello when I was four and entered the National Superior Conservatory of Paris for Music and Dance at 13 and met many Korean friends there. I’m also a big fan of director Park Chan-wook. I watched Old Boy when I was 10 and the movie became one of my favorites. I regularly watch the movie. The movie is a masterpiece, where I can feel music from the story. I want to bring out the energy, extreme sadness, and lyricism from Shostakovich’s Cello Concerto in Seoul."

ㅡYou became a professional cellist at an early age.

“Luckily, I started performing as a professional cellist after participating in three competitions. Korean pianist Cho Seong-jin and I were the youngest when we competed in the International Tchaikovsky Competition in 2011. I was so glad to see him again last year at the Verbier Festival in Switzerland. Although he and I play different instruments, we are at same age and he later came to Paris to study. Competitions are tough. But we were 17 at that time. We didn’t think too hard and just did what we can. I guess that’s why we got good result.”

ㅡWhat kind of cellist do you want to be?

“I don’t have a particular goal such as playing with certain orchestras or conductors. I just want to love and enjoy music as I do now and express the joy of music to the audience. If I keep doing this, music will take me somewhere.”