IN PART BY THE
Mary-Ann K. Clinton
Anabeth H. Cox
Keith Heckman
Marysue Harris
Mrs. Larry H. Lusk
Charlotte Heermann
Diana Warner
Joan M. Reist
SUPPORTED
RUTH K. SEACREST FUND AND THE ANABETH HORMELL COX LIED PERFORMANCE FUND.
In June 2022, Yunchan Lim became the youngest person ever to win gold at the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition; his performances throughout showcased a “magical ability” and a “natural, instinctive quality” (La Scena) that astounded listeners around the world. As Jury Chair Marin Alsop expressed: “Yuchan is that rare artist who brings profound musicality and prodigious technique organically together.” The depth of his artistry and connection to listeners also secured him the Audience Award and Best Performance of a New Work (for Sir Stephen Hough’s Fanfare Toccata).
Just 18 years old, Yunchan’s ascent to international stardom has been meteoric. His audacious Cliburn Semifinal Round performance of Liszt’s Transcendental Etudes “created a buzz throughout the international piano community”—his “intelligent virtuosity and total immersion into Liszt’s idiom truly defined transcendental” (Gramophone). And his final Cliburn Competition appearance with Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 3 delivered the defining moment of the three-week event; as one critic noted: “The applause that followed was endless: a star had emerged before our eyes” (Seen and Heard International). The video of that performance trended globally on YouTube in the days after, reaching #25, and has now become the most-watched version of that piece on the platform, amassing more than 5.5 million views in just one month.
Born in Siheung, Korea, Yunchan Lim began piano lessons at age 7, when it was time to choose an after- school activity; he entered the Music Academy of the Seoul Arts Center the next year and quickly became immersed in his musical studies. He auditioned for and was accepted into the Korea National Institute for the Gifted in Arts at age 13, where he met his teacher and mentor, Minsoo Sohn. Yunchan entered the international music stage a year later, in 2018, winning second prize and the Chopin Special Award in his first-ever competition, the Cleveland International Piano Competition for Young Artists. Also that year, he stood out as the youngest participant in the Cooper International Competition, where he won both third prize and the audience prize, and was provided the opportunity to perform with the Cleveland Orchestra. The next year, 2019, brought more accolades, when, at the age of 15, he was the youngest to win Korea’s IsangYun International Competition, also taking home two special prizes.
Yunchan has since performed across South Korea—including with the Korean Orchestra Festival, Korea Symphony, Suwon Philharmonic, and Busan Philharmonic Orchestras, among others—as well as in Madrid, at the invitation of the Korea Cultural Center in Spain. He also participated in the recording of “2020 Young Musicians of Korea,” organized by the Korean Broadcasting System and released that November. His 2022–2023 inaugural tour as Cliburn winner will take him across four continents, with highlights including the Aspen Music Festival, La Jolla Music Society, and Performing Arts Houston in the United States; Seoul Arts Center, National Concert Hall in Taipei, and the KBS and Korean National Symphony Orchestras in Asia; Wigmore Hall and Fondation Louis Vuitton in Europe; and a recital tour in South America. Also coming soon: the release of his debut studio recording on the Steinway label.
Speaking at a press conference after the Competition, Yunchan said, “I made up my mind that I will live my life for the sake of music... I wanted my music to become deeper, and if that desire reached the audience, I’m satisfied.”
He is currently in his second year at the Korea National University of Arts, where he continues to study with Mr. Sohn.
John Dowland | William Byrd Pavana Lachrymae (1563–1626) | (1539–1623)
Johann Sebastian Bach 15 Sinfonias, BWV 787–801 (1685–1750)
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827)
Seven Bagatelles, op. 33 Variations and Fugue in E-flat Major, op. 35 (“Eroica”)
“Flow, my tears, fall from your springs!
Exiled forever, let me mourn;
Where night’s black bird her sad infamy sings, There let me live forlorn…”
Thus begins English Renaissance composer and lutenist John Dowland’s most famous ayre, “Flow, my tears.” Though best known in this song form, Downland initially penned the tune as a piece for solo lute under the name “Lachrimae pavane” around 1595. This original lute tune received many subsequent keyboard arrangements, and among them William Byrd’s Pavana Lachrymae reigns supreme. One of the most influential of all early music composers, Byrd arranged Dowland’s tune for the virginal, a precursor to the harpsichord. Here transcribed for piano, the relatively short piece but is brimful of rich harmonies and lavish ornamentation. Byrd’s darkly ruminative arrangement captures all the heartrending sorrow inherent in the song the tune eventually became
Though remembered today primarily as a composer and organist, Johann Sebastian Bach was also an influential teacher who devoted much of his time and energy to the musical education of his own offspring (the composer had 20 children in all, though only 10 survived to adulthood). In early 1720 Bach began compiling a small notebook for keyboard training – a Clavier Buchlëin – to serve as an instruction and exercise booklet for his eldest son, then 9-year-old Wilhelm Friedemann Bach. The book included 30 short compositions: 15 inventions, fantasy pieces in two-part counterpoint, and 15 sinfonias, which add a third contrapuntal voice.
Three years later Bach revised the notebook’s pieces for publication under the name Inventio and Sinfonia, commonly known today as Two- and Three-Part Inventions. He stated his pedagogical purpose for the works in a preface to the 1723 manuscript:
“Straightforward instruction, whereby lovers of the keyboard, and especially those eager to learn, are shown a clear method, not only (1) of learning to play cleanly in two parts, but also, after further progress, (2) of managing three obbligato parts correctly and satisfactorily; and in addition not only of arriving at good original ideas but also of developing them satisfactorily; and most of all of acquiring a cantabile style of playing while at the same time receiving a strong foretaste of composition.”
These inventions and sinfonias are still in use three centuries later as common teaching repertoire and are regarded as essential literature for mastering keyboard polyphony with Bach’s emphasis on technique, musicality, and composition.
The 15 three-part sinfonias cover 8 major and 7 minor keys, starting with C major and systematically ascending the chromatic scale to B minor. They are all brief – most just one or two minutes long – yet rife with musical significance. The works explore a wide range of tone and character within their small scope while showcasing virtually every contrapuntal and expressive device Bach had at his disposal. Some key musical moments to listen for include the elegant simplicity of No. 5’s duet-like texture, the descending two-note “sighing” figures strewn throughout the melancholic No. 9, and the whirlwind of intricate passagework that makes up the No. 15 finale.
Beethoven composed bagatelles – short, light instrumental pieces usually composed for solo piano – throughout his career, compiling them at intervals for the popular market. The seven bagatelles of Op. 33 published in 1803 make up his first such collection. Each a miniature masterwork of balance, articulation, and figuration typical of Beethoven’s classically-influenced early style, they are also suffused with an undercurrent of the composer’s irrepressible humor. “Bagatelle” is the French word for “trifles,” and Beethoven indeed trifles with his listeners continually within these works; musical mischief abounds in the form of subverted expectations, over the top phrasing, and abrupt contrasts at every turn.
The Op. 33 set is comprised mostly of light, upbeat pieces set (with a few expressive exceptions) and takes just under 20 minutes to perform. Bagatelle No. 1 opens the set with an innocent tune heavily embellished with intricate improvisatory runs. The melody becomes more and more comically ornamented with each repeat of the theme, transforming it from simple and sweet to somewhat agitated. The humor of No. 2 (labelled a scherzo, or “joke”) lies in its rhythm. Metrical manipulation and offbeat accents make it nearly impossible to nail down the piece’s pulse, lending it a jumpy feel. No. 3 is gently pastoral with a folk-like melody played over arpeggios; the melody’s second phrase, however, modulates suddenly to both a remote key and dynamic level, then continues to shift back and forth in this unbalanced manner.
In No. 4 we at last find a truly lyrical number, its gentle melody weaving through the various voices – and lulling listeners into a false sense of seriousness. In the middle section the melody drops out entirely, leaving bare accompaniment in its wake. The most technically challenging of the set, No. 5 is filled with lightning-quick passagework and decorative figurations. No. 6 is the jewel of the set, and perhaps the only wholly sincere piece of all with its singing lyricism and intimate character. Offering a striking contrast to the preceding number, No. 7 uses crisp staccato textures and extreme repetition as drivers of musical wit to fittingly round off the set’s humorous journey.
Though composed around the same time as the Op. 33 Bagatelles, Beethoven’s Op. 35 is unquestionably the weightier and more substantial of the two. Beethoven wrote the “Eroica” variations – so-called because he later reworked them into the finale of his Third Symphony, the “Eroica” – in 1802 while living in the Viennese suburb of Heiligenstadt (it was there the composer penned the Heiligenstadt Testament in which he ruminated on his ever-worsening deafness and asserted his will to go on living and composing despite his affliction). Musicologists often point to 1802 as the cusp between Beethoven’s early classically-influenced compositional period and middle “heroic” period. Indeed, Beethoven himself acknowledged the stylistic shift in a letter to his publisher about the Variations: “I have composed two sets of Variations [Opp. 34 and 35] that are worked out in quite a new manner…. Usually I have to wait for other people to tell me when I have new ideas….But this time I myself can assure you that in both these works the manner is quite new.”
The Op. 35 Variations were immediately well-received. A review written in February 1804 praised the work’s “inexhaustible imagination, original humor, and deep, intimate, even passionate feeling” as well as citing its innovative formal structure which, the critic wrote, pointed to the composer’s “unmistakable genius.” Instead of opening with a clear statement of the main theme and immediately launching into variations thereof as is traditional in a theme and variations work, Beethoven begins with a statement of the main theme’s bass line only – and subsequently presents three playful variations of it. Only then does he at last state the principal theme. He also concludes the piece in an unconventional manner with a lively three-voice fugue built on the first four notes of the bass line heard at the outset.
The 15 variations that make up the main body of the work run the expressive and stylistic gamut: flowing lyricism, boisterous humor, refined elegance, light playfulness, and tense melancholy are all present within the diverse array of thematic iterations. Written as it was to demonstrate Beethoven’s own virtuosity as a performer, the work also places significant technical demands on the soloist. It requires not only brilliant control to execute the necessary shifts in speed and volume, but also enough sensitive musicality to showcase the composer’s intricate counterpoint with a full range of color and expression.
Program notes by Laney Boyd
As the only member of the Piano Circle without a history on the piano, I must admit that my love of piano performance comes as a result of my sister, MarySue Harris. Her love of the piano, her 40+ years of teaching piano, and her joy in the performance on the piano, have sealed my commitment to perpetuating that love for the children, and the children at heart, in the beauty of the music written for the piano. I’m grateful to be a part of bringing that beauty to the Lincoln community. I can’t play the piano, but I can love it!
The Piano Series, offered by the Lied Center, is truly an opportunity to hear first-rate piano performances throughout the year! Before the Piano Series, we had some poor attendance at piano concerts, but there is so much interest now, both in the Series and in the active response to the pianists, it is most gratifying and fulfilling!! There is an increased awareness of the excellent pianism and an expectation from the audience of a higher standard of performance overall!
As a life-long, performing pianist who taught piano for over 40 years, and had many students win top honors in competitions, I am so thrilled with the resounding success of the Piano Series; and I look forward to another outstanding year with the powerful pianistic performances the series offers.
MarySue has moved to the West Coast to be close to her son and daughter.
The piano and music have played an important part in my life. From my early childhood piano lessons, through high school, college and beyond, there has always been music and especially the piano. Once again, the Lied Piano Series brings beautiful music and outstanding artists to the Lied stage, showcasing the endless variety, creativity and beauty of this grand and glorious instrument.
We welcome these artists to the Lied stage for all to enjoy!
It’s wonderful that the Piano Series has received such a positive and enthusiastic response, and I’m delighted that is has become a permanent fixture in Lied Center programming. It’s especially gratifying that this program continues to reach out to young people, giving them a unique opportunity to hear great music and observe great artists interact with the instrument. In the end, all who enjoy these concerts will walk away with something new and exciting that can enhance their personal—and positive—relationship with the piano.
I really appreciate continuing efforts to engage interested and enthusiastic piano students beyond the concert hall. The initial Piano Academy was a success and the next events followed suit. What a great opportunity for piano students to engage with talented and experienced mentors and with peers who have similar passion for making music at the piano!
Keith Heckman
Having been a dealer in fine pianos for more than forty years, it gives me great pleasure to continue to provide Lincoln and the surrounding area the opportunity to hear some of the great artists of the world. It is also fulfilling to assist young piano students with interacting with excellent teachers and clinicians. What a treasure the Piano Circle is for the Lied.
Mary-Ann K.Clinton
My late husband (John) and I have loved music all our lives. However, our passion for classical piano started in 1967 when we learned that our four-year-old son Mark had extraordinary musical talent. From that time, we dedicated our efforts to help him develop his God-given talents. We recently discovered that Mark’s paternal grandmother was such an accomplished pianist that she had been awarded a music scholarship to attend Boston University in the 1930’s. Due to family reasons, she never fulfilled that dream. This made us realize that although God works in wonderful and mysterious ways, family genes may also have been involved. Following our move to Lincoln, John and I soon found a home for all things musical and cultural at the Lied Center. The growth of the Lied Piano Circle allowed us to contribute to having some of the best piano music in the world on the Lied stage. Our musical journey has been wonderful one, and my continued participation in the Piano Circle is an honor and privilege. I look forward to this year’s Piano Circle artists as they provide another season of exciting performances for our Nebraska audiences.
The Piano Series initially featured in the 2013–14 season of the Lied Center has enhanced the season program and promises to continue to do so in the 2022–23 season. Our community has had the special opportunity to experience piano performances of the highest quality presented by internationally acclaimed pianists. The response has been enthusiastic and has raised awareness and expectations of even more outstanding performances.
As a performing pianist and teacher for many years, I am particularly excited by the opportunity for students to hear some of the best pianists and performances in the world. What an inspiration! I look forward to another outstanding season with exceptional pianists and performances offered by the Piano Series.
Diana Warner“I’m so pleased to be a part of the Piano Circle. It’s great to help bring excellent performers and fine piano music to the Lied Center. It is our hope that this project will continue for many years to come.”
