Garam Cho at the 2015 Hastings International Pisno Concerto Competition photo: John Cole

An evening in with… Garam Cho

This Friday evening, 26 June, Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition prizewinner Garam Cho will join us for a live performance of beautiful music, writes Chris Cormack.

The fifteenth in this series of short online concerts presented by Hastings International Piano is given by 2015 Hastings International Piano Concerto Competition finalist Garam Cho. In the 2015 finals, Garam Cho opened the proceedings with a ‘spirited performance of Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No 1. There was a surprising strength to this performance as well as some contrasted delicate playing’, according to Dr Brian Hick.

Programme:

G. Gershwin, arranged by Earl Wild – Etude No.4 ‘Embraceable you’ – from Seven Virtuoso Etudes on Gershwin Songs, the original song from the Broadway musical Girl Crazy.
F. Liszt – Sonetto 104 Del Petrarca – inspired by the sonnet, I find no peace, and yet I make no war – Francesco Petrarca 1304-1374
F. Chopin– Ballade No.4 in F Minor Op.52 – claimed by Cortot to be inspired by Adam Mickiewic’s poem The Three Budrys, which tells of three brothers sent away by their father to seek treasures, and the story of their return with three Polish brides.

HIPCC, 5 March 2015: semi-finals Garam Cho (through to the finals) Photographs 2015 (c) John Cole

Born in Seoul, Garam Cho began playing piano at age three, and was later enrolled at the prestigious Sunhwa Arts School.

Her international career began in 2011 when Ms Cho graduated with the highest distinction from Berlin’s Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler.

As a recitalist and soloist, Garam Cho has performed extensively in Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, the UK and of course her home country of South Korea.

In spring 2018,  she began teaching at Hasei University and Sejong University in Korea. She is also active as a music columnist – her Pianist Garam Cho’s Classic Essay  is published in a series of columns in the Contemporary Music Newspaper.

In these times when the livelihood of our musicians is at risk, this series supports the careers of prizewinners who are, of course, paid a performance fee.

The concerts are free to view, but viewers can make a voluntary donation to Hastings International Piano Engagement Fund, here or choose to join as a Friend here.

Watch live here on this page (the video will appear just before 7pm on Friday) or by visiting our Facebook page.

All photographs 2015 (c) John Cole (07958 491179) taken at White Rock Theatre.

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