Renowned Classical Musicians Yang Sung-won and Kim Eun-sik Reflect on Decades of Artistic Partnership
Seoul, South Korea - Cellist Yang Sung-won and violinist Kim Eun-sik, a celebrated musical couple, have revealed the challenges and profound rewards of a lifetime dedicated too classical music, and to each other’s artistry. In a recent interview, the pair discussed their individual journeys, the difficulties of embracing past performance practice, and the enduring power of musical collaboration.
The musicians detailed the critically importent adjustments required when transitioning to instruments and techniques suited for Baroque performance. kim Eun-sik specifically described the process of adapting to the sound of gut strings as “very painful,” explaining the need to “fix all the habits of the body and ears as much as learning a completely new instrument.” He further elaborated, ”I felt that the existence itself was denied, but I was patient and adapted to the beauty of Mars, but gradually the instrument was naturally accepted as part of my body.”
Despite the solitary nature of a musician’s work, both Yang and kim emphasized the vital importance of having a trusted colleague. They described each other as “most reliable advisors of each other’s music,” sharing a deep understanding of each other’s “ears, tastes, and directions.” Their musical dialog, they explained, transcends technical considerations, achieving a “more essential musical balance.”
The couple also playfully acknowledged the practical challenges of sharing a home and practice space, noting a pleasant competition for the “single practice room that can be soundproofed,” ultimately resolving disputes through mutual concession.
Having devoted their lives to music, Yang Sung-won and Kim Eun-sik acknowledge its inherent difficulty. They view classical masterpieces not merely as “sound, but a voice and ideal and philosophy that comes from the past.” Their enduring passion for art and music fuels their dedication to reviving these works.
Their daily routine begins at 7:30 AM with instrument practice, driven by a desire to continually improve their interpretations of composers like Bach, mozart, Beethoven, and Schumann. While their individual musical colors differ, their ultimate goal remains the same: “preaching music and understanding the language of music.”
Yang Sung-won reflected on the evolving appreciation for diligent practice, stating, “I don’t know how happy it is to wrestle with immortal masterpieces, but I feel blessed in it every day to make a better and more sincere sounds.”
both musicians described the rare moments of complete artistic immersion, when the instrument fades into the background and a direct connection with the composer’s emotions is achieved. “There are times when I forget that I’m playing a musical instrument,” they shared. “It’s a moment when I feel that I’m in direct contact with the composer’s feelings… At that moment, it’s time when we feel that we are completely ‘my music.'”
