Teen prodigy Kim Doo-min releases debut recording on Mendelssohn

Aug 9, 2019

Pianist Kim Doo-min plays Mendelssohn's "Rondo Capriccioso in E Op.14" during a press conference held at Kumho Art Hall Yonsei in Seoul, Thursday.

Pianist Kim Doo-min, 16, is one of a few Korean pianists whose debut album has been released by a major international music label. Kim released his debut recording of Mendelssohn's various piano works earlier this month internationally on Warner Classics.

The story of how this young Korean pianist got to release his debut album in his teens goes back three years ago. Precocious and gifted, Kim was admitted to France's Ecole Normale de Musique at age 13, the youngest Asian student ever in the institution's history, with a full scholarship.

Kim was selected and auditioned by Warner Classics in February 2017 at the school in Paris, without Kim realizing for whom he was playing the piano. A month later, he found out that Warner Classics suggested a debut recording, and recorded the album at the age of 14.

"As I was only 14 when I recorded this album, I tried to express as much as what I considered the strengths of a teenage performer: youthful energy and purity," Kim said during a press conference held at Kumho Art Hall Yonsei in Seoul, Thursday.

The reason Kim's debut recording is on German romantic composer Mendelssohn is that the teenage pianist hopes to shed light on the composer's various piano works.

"Mendelssohn is considered a composer that shows both characteristics of classical and romantic music periods. I think his music can well demonstrate the traits of the transition period of classical and romantic music. As for the program, I try to introduce somewhat less known piano works to the public," Kim explained.

One of the tracks of the album is Mendelssohn's "Capriccio in F sharp minor Op.5" and it was composed when Mendelssohn was 14 years old ― the same age Kim was when he recorded the track.

"As I recorded the track at 14, the same age when Mendelssohn composed the piece, I tried to imagine his sentiments when he composed it. I sort felt closer to the piece. The piece well demonstrates Mendelssohn's genius and traits of a musical prodigy," the teenage pianist said.

"Mendelssohn had an extensive range of musical knowledge; he was not only a composer but also an organist, pianist and conductor. All these musical elements and composition skills are contained in his piano works, and it is required to understand these varied factors well to express his sensitivity and musical traits. Some pieces sounded like a combination of a soprano singing and the piano accompaniment, while some felt like orchestra music."

Pianist Kim Doo-min was admitted to France's Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris at the age of 13, the youngest Asian student ever with a full scholarship.

This musically gifted young pianist, though, suffers from a handicap that most other pianists don't have; since birth he has been almost blind in his left eye. But this has never stopped him from presenting his talent to the world.

"The fact that I cannot see out of my left eye is an obvious handicap for a pianist. It'd be better if I could see both my hands on the keys, but my eyesight does not allow me to see enough space on my left side. So I practiced in a way that I usually see my left hand's side, while I play my right hand without seeing it. To overcome this, I tend to memorize all the piano pieces that I play," Kim said.

Despite his eye condition, the piano came to him like destiny. He said it felt like the piano chose him.

"It felt like the piano talked to me; upon playing the instrument the first time, I had a feeling that I have to do this. Looking back now, I think music helped me to relieve my severe stress due to my eye condition. I always felt music influences the mind; listening or practicing the piano helps my mental state to be lucid and clear," the pianist said.

He is scheduled to hold is debut recital at the IBK Chamber Hall at the Seoul Arts Center on Sept. 20, playing various piano pieces by Beethoven and Mendelssohn.

"Personally, I find Beethoven's music fits my sentiments the most; I feel very close and love to express Beethoven's music, which reflects his life overcoming many adversities," Kim said.

As year 2020 marks the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth, Warner Classics plan to release a set of 100 CDs, comprised of all Beethoven's compositions. Kim also contributed for the special collection; he recorded two CDs on Beethoven's works that were rarely recorded before. The recording was done in May, and the CDs are slated to be released November next year.

Still young, the precocious pianist hopes to be a true artist who can touch people's hearts.

"I believe the necessary condition of being an artist is that they can really touch and move people's hearts. I want to be an artist, who makes the art with music, touching people's hearts and influencing society," he said.

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