Pianist Kim to explore Beethoven’s music, life

25-year-old musical prodigy says he feels warmth, compassion in Beethoven’s 32 sonatasPianist Kim Sun-wook, a leading young Korean musician, returns to his fans with a two-year-long project on Ludwig van Beethoven’s complete 32 piano sonatas, offering a performance that has become more mature and profound. The 25-year-old pianist will perform all of Beethoven’s 32 sonatas, considered some of the greatest compositions for the piano, over a two-year period in eight concerts starting Thursday at LG

March 27, 2012

Tests show aging of Leonardo masterpiece

WARSAW, Poland (AP) ― Bark beetles and old age have damaged Leonardo da Vinci’s 15th-century painting “Lady with an Ermine,’’ but the masterpiece is still holding up well, according to a conservationist at the Polish museum where it is displayed.Recent tests show the chestnut board on which Leonardo painted his masterpiece has weakened after being nibbled at by beetles over the centuries, and the painting has also suffered from a dense network of cracks, said Janusz Czop, the chief conservationi

March 27, 2012

First lady hosts dinner for leaders’ spouses

Korea’s First Lady Kim Yoon-ok on Monday hosted a dinner for 14 spouses of the global leaders attending the 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit.  The spouses, who are accompanying state leaders and heads of international organizations attending the two-day global conference in Seoul, enjoyed a special banquet at the National Museum of Korea while their partners attended a separate summit business banquet at COEX, southern Seoul. Antonioli Monti, wife of Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti, Patienc

March 26, 2012

Artist aims for made-in-Korea luxury craft brand

Kim Kyung-shin knocks on Korea with accessories and dinnerware using hanji and lacquerThe artist’s atelier is located in “hanok,” or traditional house, in Bukchon, central Seoul. Small signs reading Kyung Shin Kong Bang (Kyungshin Crafthouse) in Chinese letters hang at several corners of the area’s narrow alleys to guide the visitors. Kim Kyung-shin, a South Korean craft artist, lives, works and exhibits her works there. But she is less well-known here than in Germany, where she lived and worked

March 26, 2012

France holds provocative Helmut Newton exhibit

PARIS (AP) ― Yves Saint Laurent empowered women and the same could be said of his contemporary, iconic fashion photographer Helmut Newton, the subject of a retrospective at Paris’ Grand Palais that is not for the prudish.Several portraits of Saint Laurent, who gave women the male tuxedo, are included in the show, paying tribute to the designer whose empowering, masculine vision of women so influenced Newton.“He was avant garde. The woman in Helmut Newton’s work is powerful and dominant ― the mas

March 26, 2012

Gugak Center to hold concert for Nuclear Security Summit

The National Gugak Center will hold a two-day special concert as a part of several cultural events planned for foreign officials currently in Seoul to attend the 2012 Nuclear Security Summit. The Court Music Orchestra of the center will perform a complete version of “Yeongsanhoesang,” the most representative piece of pungnyu music or music appreciated by Joseon’s high society, today and tomorrow at the National Gugak Center in Yangjae, southern Seoul. The orchestra will perform three versions of

March 26, 2012

Palaces welcome foreign guests during nuclear summit

Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Deoksugung offer a glimpse into traditional side of KoreaAs the 2012 Seoul Nuclear Summit kicked off on Monday, Seoul’s ancient palaces opened special programs for the foreign guests to get a glimpse of Korea’s royal culture throughout the week.The participating palaces are Gyeongbokgung, the main and the largest palace in Seoul; Changdeokgung, a UNESCO world heritage site; and Deoksugung, the only royal palace that houses western style buildings. “Gyeonghoeru Yeonh

March 26, 2012

Se7en to promote new album in Japan and China

Korean singer Se7en will release new albums in Japan, China and Singapore starting next month after wrapping up his promotions in Korea last week.The 27-year-old K-pop singer concluded two months of activities in Seoul with a final appearance on SBS’ “Inkigayo” which aired on March 25, and will begin a series of Asian promotions in April and May, YG Entertainment said.“On April 25, Se7en will release a new single album in Japan and will hold showcases in Tokyo, Fukuoka, Nagoya and Osaka in May t

March 26, 2012

Artists speak out on nuclear security

NMOCA showcases artworks by Korean and Japanese artists during 2012 Nuclear Security SummitWhile world leaders discuss the future of nuclear security during the 2012 Seoul Nuclear Security Summit, artists from Korea and Japan will express their opinions through a variety of art forms. The National Museum of Contemporary Art invited seven Korean and three Japanese artists to share their views at the exhibition “Art Project 2012: Communion.” It will run from March 25-28 at the Media Center of the

March 25, 2012

Newly discovered Mozart piece performed in Salzburg

A newly discovered Mozart piano piece composed when the child prodigy was 11 years old was presented and performed for the first time here Friday in his former family home. Sheets of music, recently identified as a composition by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, is presented during a press conference held b

March 25, 2012

Seo Taiji’s music still makes hearts beat faster

It’s been 20 years since Seo Taiji & Boys released their first album “Nan Arayo.” Seo’s fans, just teenagers in 1992, continue to be loyal to the singer who seldom appears in public. To celebrate the 20th anniversary of Seo’s debut album, his fans came up with the idea of naming a Brazilian forest after the singer and launching an online database (www.seotaiji-archive.com) of every document and video about him and his music. The Korea Herald interviewed Lee Jin-sook, a 34-year-old office worker

March 23, 2012

K-pop still feels impact of Seo Taiji & Boys

Fans of the three-member group that reshaped Korea’s music scene in the ’90s celebrates 20th anniversary of its debutDebuting on March 23, 1992, Seo Taiji & Boys ruled the Korean pop world with a string of hit songs including “Nan Arayo (I Know)” and “Come Back Home.” Exactly 20 years have passed, and interest in the legendary group is still very much alive. Seo’s music, which included elements of heavy metal, hard rock and hip-hop in a dramatic departure from mainstream K-pop, was a sensation i

March 23, 2012

Calendar

Exhibitions“Memories of the Heart”: Canon Korea is hosting the solo exhibition of photographer Cho Seong-joon to celebrate the publication of his first photo essay book. Titled “Memories of the Heart,” the book as well as the exhibition showcases the photographer’s signature black and white photos of various spots in Korea. Canadian investment bank Scotia Waterous selected Cho as the photographer of 2011 and supported the publication of the book. The exhibition runs through April 5 at Canon Plex

March 23, 2012

Eye Like

Kolleen Park’s favorite musical songsVarious artists“Kolleen’s Musical Choice”(Universal Music)Kolleen Park, a popular music director and TV celebrity, shares her favorite musical numbers with her fans on a new CD.A musical compilation album titled “Kolleen’s Musical Choice,” it contains 29 songs from 19 hit musicals from all around the world. The list of songs includes “Dancing Queen” from the musical “Mama Mia,” “Memory” from the musical “Cats” and “All I Ask of You” a duet by Sarah Brightman

March 23, 2012