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| Clarinetist Han Kim will perform a solo recital on Thursday evening at the Kumho Art Hall Yonsei. Courtesy of Sangwook Lee |
By Anna J. Park
Clarinetist Han Kim, 23, is one of many talented young Korean classical musicians who is balancing his musical career as a member of a prestigious European orchestra while performing as a soloist on global stages.
Kim has been second solo clarinetist of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra since last year. He also is a member of the Kumho Asiana Soloists and a founding member of the Veits Quintet.
He is in Korea for a solo recital at the Kumho Art Hall Yonsei Thursday evening. It his first solo performance since taking second prize and the audience award at the ARD music competition in Germany in September.
During an interview with The Korea Times on Monday, Kim said the source of his musical energy has partially come from his teenage years as a normal student, putting more focus on studying or playing soccer.
He started playing the clarinet at the age of 10, and in just three years, he made his debut as a soloist; undoubtedly, he was a musical prodigy. But instead of spending all his teenage years practicing music, he got the opportunity to study at Britain's prestigious Eton College.
"I was very fortunate that I was given the opportunity to study at Eton College on a music scholarship," Kim said. "During that time, I learned so much as I got to study various subjects and made so many good friends with whom I still keep contact. Also, as it was a boarding school, I learned to overcome my shyness and became more socially active. Sometimes I had no time left to practice the instrument due to other homework.
"Now that I look back, I think that if I had continued to live the life of a musical prodigy during my teen years, I probably would have no energy left by now. As I had put some distance from music for several years, I have more room to refocus on music."
However, even when he focused more on studying or sports during his teens, the idea of becoming a musician was always a priority in his heart.
"I was OK with my studying, yet I did not find it particularly amusing or interesting," Kim said. "Music, though, was always fun and interesting. I also tried to take courses that would benefit and deepen my musicality. I still find such variety of studies helped me to understand and perform better as a musician."
After graduating Eton College, he continued studying at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, and further studied at Musikhochschule Lubeck with Professor Sabine Meyer in Germany. He is still in his master's program at the German music school.
In addition to his recent second prize at the ARD music competition, he won the top prize at the Jacques Lancelot international competition in France in 2016.
As a founding member of the Veits Quintet, Kim received second prize in the Carl Nielsen international chamber music competition in 2015. The woodwind quintet was launched in 2012 and comprised five musicians, including Kim and oboist Ham Kyeong. Kim and Ham are both members of the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra and share a flat in Helsinki.
"It is such a coincidence that I entered the Finnish orchestra together with my close friend Ham Kyeong," Kim said. "Although we knew each other for a long time, we were both living in other cities; we each had auditions and were accepted into the orchestra.
"The Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra has such a good vibe with young, fresh energy. We have great conductors and the orchestra allows flexibility for each performer. I am enjoying my life in Helsinki very much."
At Thursday evening's recital, Kim and pianist Ilya Rashkovskiy will present Brahms' "Sonata for Clarinet and Piano No. 2 in E-flat Major," Poulenc's "Sonata for Clarinet and Piano" and pieces by Arnold, Mantovani, and Bozza.
"The clarinet's famous repertoire is mostly written during the 20th century as this instrument is considered pretty modern," Kim said. "Audiences can listen to various pieces written during the time spanning the 19th to 21st centuries.
"As the clarinet is a woodwind instrument, it relies on human breath to make a sound. So I think the instrument's sound is more natural than any other instrument and very close to singing.
"The clarinet's sounds are not too deep and heavy like the oboe and not too light like the flute, but its variety and range are the greatest among the woodwind instruments, I think. It can express any characters. I hope many people come and listen to the versatile sounds of the clarinet.
"I hope to make good music, without losing my own life. I hope to continue to maintain this balance in life, while being grateful for everything."
