The Viola is Like a Mother’s Voice

“People listen to my CD and send me emails. They tell me that they’ve sobbed. I wanted people to be happy when they listen to my music…”

While Richard Yongjae O’Neill (28) is not classically handsome, his smile is arresting. Under the bright smile he puts on during his stage-dominating viola performance lies an unfathomable sadness.

He has launched his second album (Universal Music). The title is “Lachrymae” (tears). O’Neill’s mother Lee Bok-soon was adopted in the U.S. as a war orphan after the Korean War. Having become disabled after suffering from a febrile disease at a young age, she is an unwed mother. O’Neill was raised by his American grandparents. Though the O’Neill couple was not wealthy, operating a TV repair shop after retiring from a hospital, they took care of 35 adoptees during their 54 years of marriage. Mrs. O’Neill encouraged Richard, saying, “God will help you if you work and strive hard.”

This album is dedicated to his late grandparents. Perhaps that is why “Island Baby” (composed by Lee Heung-ryul), the last encore music in his album, brings tears to the listeners. Set to the background tunes of a classical guitar, the heart rendering sounds of the viola reminds this correspondent of his mother who passed away several years ago.

“The sound of the viola resembles a mother’s voice. Its warm and relaxing sound reminds you of home. ‘Island Baby’ is my favorite piece in this album. My viola is depicting a mother and her child in the seaside, but listeners will be reminded of their own mothers.”

O’Neill reminisced, “My mother left Korea at an early age, and she didn’t have the chance to listen to ‘Island Baby,’” and added, “But when I heard this music for the first time last year, I found myself humming to it, and I could emote to it easily.”

This album is filled with repertoires of classical music with the theme sadness, with Offenbach’s “Jacqueline’s Tears,” Sor’s “La Romanesca,” Bottesini’s “Elegie,” among others. With a string ensemble and classical guitar, Shostakovich’s “Jazz Suite No.2 - Waltz 2” was arranged by O’Neill.

The first violist to enter the graduate program of Julliard, O’Neill has been a member of the Sejong Soloists, composed of Julliard graduates, since 2001. Professor Kang Hyo of the Julliard School gave O’Neill the name “Yongjae.” This May, O’Neill received the prestigious “Avery Fisher Career Grant.”

“Professor Kang allowed me to recognize Korea, when I thought of myself as an American. The money I received from the Avery Fisher grant helped me buy my viola (made by Giovanni Tononi in 1699). I’m thrilled to be recognized.”

O’Neil will perform nationally in Korea to commemorate the production of his album. Beginning with the Seoul Arts Center at 8:00 p.m. on October 11, he will be giving 10 performances. He will also perform at the opening stage at the Tongyoung International Music Festival. Tickets for his performance range from 20,000 to 50,000 won. 02-751-9608

raphy@donga.com