Klara Min

Klara Yu-Kyoung Min (born c. 1976) is a South Korean-born classical pianist. She has performed in North America, Germany, Switzerland, France, Italy and her native South Korea in such venues as New York's Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall, Barge Music, Gasteig Hall in Munich, Berlin Philharmonie Hall, and KBS Broadcast hall in Seoul.

Klara Min
Born	Min Yu-kyoung[1] 1975/1976 (age 43–44)[2] Seoul, South Korea
Nationality	South Koreanwith
Occupation	Classical pianist
Korean name
Hangul	민유경
Revised Romanization	Min Yugyeong
McCune–Reischauer	Min Yugyŏng

Education

Born into a musical family in Seoul, South Korea, Min started her first piano lessons despite what her composer mother said to her, when she refused to teach her.[3] However, once she had made her choice, her mother was supportive of that decision.[4] She received her musical education at Yewon School and Seoul Arts High School and continued her studies at the Manhattan School of Music.[5] Min received a bachelor's degree with Solomon Mikowsky and a master's degree with Byron Janis.[4] She has Aufbaustudium (Konzertexamen) at Lübeck Academy of Music in Germany with James Tocco.[6]

Career

Min made her New York recital debut in 2002 at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall in which she performed the US premiere of Unsuk Chin's Piano Études (selections).[4] Min has performed extensively throughout North America and Europe as well as in her home country of South Korea, in venues including Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall, the Alice Tully Hall at the Lincoln Center in New York City, Gasteig in Munich, Berlin Philharmonie, Laeiszhalle in Hamburg, Wigmore Hall in London and KBS Broadcast Hall in Seoul.[7] She has performed with orchestras such as the Korean Symphony Orchestra, Seoul Symphony Orchestra, sinfonie orchester berlin, Hamburger Kammerphilharmonie, Manhattan Chamber Orchestra, New York Sinfonietta, Fairbanks Symphony Orchestra and the American Chamber Orchestra.[8]

Min established the as New York Concert Artists & Associates as "a modern-day realization of Robert Schumann’s Alliance of David (Davidsbund), an imagined spiritual fraternity of creative minds".[9]

Min's first album Ripples on Water features modern Korean piano music; it was released on Naxos.[10] Her second release of a selection of Chopin's Mazurkas was released on Delos.[11] The American Record Guide selected the album as one of six critics' choices in 2013 raving that "her dynamic control is out of this world".[12] Both albums are frequently broadcast on WQXR/WNYC radio stations. Min’s future recording engagements include a CD of Chopin and Scriabin for the Steinway & Sons record label and two further CDs for Delos, one featuring Piano Concertos by Beethoven and the other titled Fosteriana with character pieces by the American composer Henry Martin based on Stephen Foster's songs.

Min was the recipient of a Samsung scholarship.[13][14] She became a Steinway Artist in 2014, and is based in Berlin and New York.[15]

Faculty

Min has been a piano faculty member at Wesleyan University in Connecticut and an assistant teacher at Cincinnati Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati.

Awards

Min is a recipient of the Samsung scholarship. Other competition prizes include a Grand Prize at the IBLA Grand Prize International Competition, Best Performance of Mozart at the Viotti-Valsesia International Piano Competition in Italy, and a top prize at the World Piano Competition in Cincinnati.

Min's performances have been praised by New York Concert Review as "a lovely, nuanced tone, genuine expressiveness, excellent technique, exuberance and vitality" and by Polish newspaper Przegląd Polski as "a beautiful, rich sound and splendid vitality". The Cincinnati Enquirer stated that "although she is petite, she has steely nerves."

Personal life

Min resides in New York City.

References

1. "Klara Min, Pianist [Yu-Kyoung Min]". klaramin.com. Archived from the original on 13 March 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
2. 김동욱 [Kim Dong-wook] (22 November 2017). "클라라 민, 24일 국내 첫 리사이틀" [Klara Min to hold first domestic recital on 24th]. The Dong-a Ilbo. Retrieved 27 February 2018. 피아니스트 클라라 민(민유경·41·사진)이 24일 서울 롯데콘서트홀에서 국내 첫 리사이틀을 갖는다. [Pianist Klara Min (Min Yu-kyoung, 41; pictured) will hold her first recital in the country on the 24th at Seoul Lotte Concert Hall]
3. Yang, Catherine. "Pianist Klara Min on Having Faith in Music". The Epoch Times. Epoch Times. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
4. Oltuski, Ilona (11 October 2012). "Pianist Klara Min – Intimate Mazurkas And More". Sequenza 21. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
5. Hwang, Chloe. "Interview with World-Renowned Pianist Klara Min". Korean Cultural Center New York. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
6. Gelfand, Janelle (8 July 2004). "Pianist Prepares for Moment". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Retrieved 27 February 2018.
7. "Klara Min, Piano EVOCATION". CarnegieHall. CarnegieHall. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
8. "Klara Min piano - Biography". Hello Stage. HS US LLC. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
9. "New York Concert Artists & Associates presents Winners' Evening—An Evening of Piano Concerti in Review". New York Concert Review. 19 May 2014. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
10. Kang, Sang-Woo (20 May 2012). "Music Review: Klara Min - Pa-mun: Ripples on Water". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
11. Oltuski, Ilona (11 October 2012). "Pianist Klara Min – Intimate Mazurkas And More". Sequenza21. Retrieved 28 February 2018.
12. "Steinway Salon: Klara Min". Columbia University Arts Initiative. Columbia University Arts Initiative. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
13. Sanderson, Blair. "Klara Min". AllMusic. All Music (RhythmOne group). Retrieved 3 March 2018.
14. "Klara Min". Classical Bridge. New York Concert Artists & Associates. Retrieved 3 March 2018.
15. "NYCA – building communal platforms for pianists". GetClassical. 14 April 2015. Retrieved 28 February 2018.

External links

• Official website
• Korean Cultural Services NY Meets Billboard Charting Korean Artist. August 8, 2011.