Known for her momentous performance during the Henryk Wieniawski Violin Competition when she tackled two insanely challenging Violin concertos (Sibelius D Minor and Wieniawski F# Minor) in a single night, Korean-born Violinist So Young Yoon dazzled Singaporeans with her performance of Bernstein’s Serenade. Together with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, Yoon began the first movement with much sensitivity. She brought out the tenderness of the melody through carefully calibrated bow handling. The second, third and fourth movements were executed with perfect intonation and technical expertise. It was the fifth movement, perhaps the most well known to the trained classical musician, that brought the house down. When the Timpani’s death knell resounded with a crash, Yoon raced with the orchestra with fire in her eyes. With a swish of her bow across the string, the movement was brought to a climatic end.
As shouts of ‘Bravo!” erupted from the audience, I could not help but marvel at her effortless performance and wonder about the hours she had put into her practice.
What stops Yoon from achieving the same success as other acclaimed violinists like Sarah Chang, Janine Jansen puzzles me. Perhaps it is a matter of time and luck?
Picture credit: Official Henryk Wieniawski Competition site
Grace Marie Yeh
The Origin* 