Pianist Kevin Kenner attends PyeongChang Music Festival & School

American pianist Kevin Kenner (aged 53) has attended the annual PyeongChang Music Festival & School held in Pyeongchang, Gangwon province since 2011. I recently had a chance to meet him in Pyeongchang and he told about his special relations with Korea and much more special relations with two Korean musicians.

The classical pianist is an inseparable partner of music to Korea's renowned violinist Chung Kyung-wha (68). Kenner and she have been playing together since 2011, and it is unthinkable to enjoy Chung's concert without his appearance. They recorded albums together. “I can play with him in perfect harmony and he is like a gift from heaven," Chung said. "He is my musical partner who opens a new chapter in my music.”

“My ultimate goal in music is to share my soul," Kenner said. "I believe that she and I share our souls together. Likewise, we are an excellent match in playing music.”

He also talked about his close relations with Cho Seong-jin who won the prestigious International Frederick Chopin Piano Competition last year. Once known as a Chopin expert, Kevin received the second prize in the competition in 1990, when the first prize was not awarded. Before the competition, the 22-year-old pianist visited Kevin for some advice. Kenner said, “After the first meeting in 2011, I met Cho again in last summer to help him to interpret the music of Chopin.”

After watching Cho performing with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra on July 15, Kenner said, “There are many winners who got exhausted from countless concerts in one year or two after the victory. But Cho will be different as he continuously practices out of busy schedule. He’s got a bright future ahead of him.”

After the festival ends on Tuesday, Kevin will meet his Korean fans once again in his first solo recital in Korea. His concert will be held in LG Arts Center in Seoul on March 8, 2017.

평창=김동욱 기자creating@donga.com