Back Kun-woo, “Inquirer on Keyboards”

Fifty-eight-year-old Back Kun-woo, nicknamed as an inquirer on the keyboards, will drive forward his nationwide concert tour with one of Chopin’s renowned piano works, “Poet of Piano.” The itinerary, scheduled from June 9 to 14, is not a solitary tour for Back because he has a credible company to whom he can turn at anytime. As fish which is instinctively aware of how to swim, the Polish National Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra and its conductor, Anthony Beet, both conversant about Chopin, will travel together with Back for a total of six rounds for the concert.

The Chopin concert of Back, Beet, and the National Warsaw Orchestra was previously announced to their fans when their recording of “Full-length Collection of Chopin for Orchestra and Piano” was released at Décor last September, leaving their fans excited and even counting the days on their fingers.

Back and Beet have won the golden award of French Diapason Concours with the Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto Collection, which was released by Naxos back in 1993. Harmonizing with each other at about 18 concerts so far, these two musicians show off their “good pair ensemble.” Their album of Chopin has attracted the people’s attention so much because of Back’s “Composed Sweetness,” which does not have any excess or deficiency of rhythm, and has the well-balanced cadences of finger attacks on the piano that does not concentrate merely on an intentional decency. This album was selected as the “2003 Best Album” by a certain music magazine that surveyed the music reviewers and columnists last year.

The National Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, which boasts a 104-years long profound history, and Back will perform the Chopin’s F Minor 2nd Concerto. They will also play the overture, “Orawa,” of Wojciech Kilar, a Polish modern composer, which was inserted into the original soundtrack of the Roman Polanski’s movie, “Pianist.” Additionally, they will play the Chaikovskii’s 6th Symphony, “Pathetique,” at the provincial performances, and present the Chopin’s Polonaise A Major, and Krakowiak op.14 at the joint recital, which is scheduled to be held at the Arts Center in Seoul on June 12.

The provincial performances will be continued from Tongyoung Citizen’s Cultural Hall on June 9, Ulsan’s Culture and Arts Hall on June 10, Cheonan Backseok University Backseok Hall on June 11, Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall on June 12, Daegu Opera House on June 13, and finally at Gwangju Culture and Art Hall on June 14. The performances will all start at 7 p.m. Admission charges vary from 30,000 won to 180,000 won. Call 031-396-9336, 1588-7890 for more information.

Yoon-Jong Yoo gustav@donga.com