Yekwon Sunwoo

The press has praised pianist Yekwon Sunwoo for his incredible richness of articulation, singling out his remarkably smooth-contoured, singing tone that will be transported in reverie, then punctuated by flashes of dramatic fanfare before hovering between earthly and cosmic realms. With his unpretentious personality at the total service of the music, his performances are truly musical events.

Yekwon Sunwoo has given concert debuts at Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, the Mozart Saal at the Alte Oper Frankfurt, Berliner Philharmonie, Radio France, Salle Cortot and Hamarikyu Asahi Hall. Highlights of recent seasons have included orchestra debuts with the Orchestre National de Belgique, Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, Sendai Philharmonic Orchestra and Nagoya Philharmonic Orchestra, in addition to further festival appearances in Germany, Switzerland and the Czech Republic.

Born in Anyang, South Korea in 1989, his career began as a typical childhood dream. He already had clear ideas about his future by the age of ten: he wanted to one day become a successful concert pianist. His teachers have included Seymour Lipkin, Robert McDonald and Bernd Goetzke; after earning his Master’s Degree, he studied at the Mannes School of Music with American pianist Richard Goode.

While still young, Yekwon Sunwoo emerged as a prizewinner in major competitions. As winner of the 2014 Vendome Prize at the celebrated Verbier Festival, he was praised for his soft, caressing touch in quiet passages and his total command over the instrument, as well as his highly expressive playing. He also won first prizes at the Sendai International Music Competition, International Concours Piano Campus in France (including the audience prize) and William Kapell International Piano Competition (including several audience and chamber music prizes). In addition, he was a laureate of the Queen Elisabeth Competition and Fifth International German Piano Award.

Picture: Bonsook Koo