Is it possible for musicians from around the world to gather in one place?
From Germany’s Yuri to America’s Billstein, Russia’s Maxim Ivanov, Belgium’s Eden Simon, and Japan’s Akazawa Hikaru, numerous maestros all appeared at the London Symphony Concert Hall.
“It’s a feast of stars.”
Adam, the chief editor of Gramophone, said as he looked at the scene in the concert hall.
It was not just one maestro that was hard to meet globally, but many had appeared together.
Moreover, not only the Crown Prince of England but also dignitaries from neighboring countries occupied the royal seats.
The security at the London Symphony Concert Hall was tighter than ever.
“Adam, have you ever seen so many maestros in person?”
Sharon asked, and Adam firmly shook his head. It was his first time witnessing so many maestros in person.
Not only famous maestros but even those who had disappeared from the scene had appeared.
If it weren’t for the comeback stage of the Empress Karas, this would never have been possible.
“Hyun is truly a mysterious being. In a way, it was Hyun who handed the baton back to Maestro Karas, who gathered so many maestros. It feels almost like the eye of a storm.”
Adam looked at Kang Hyun, who occupied a seat in the royal section.
His neatly combed hair and suit fit him well. He was no longer a young boy but a grown young man. His appearance was comparable to that of a renowned actor.
Moreover, his musical talent was beyond words. Many maestros who came to see Karas’s stage were stealing glances at Kang Hyun.
At that moment.
The buzzing concert hall instantly fell silent, and the spotlight followed the stage.
The eyes of the audience were filled with excitement and anticipation.
It was because Maestro Karas, who had not appeared for over a decade, was stepping onto the stage.
Shhh.
Her pure white dress harmonized beautifully with her dark brown hair. The baton was made of ash wood, worn with use.
Karas, holding her front with her wrinkled hands, bowed to the audience and said.
“I sincerely thank you all for coming from afar. I am Karas, the conductor for today’s performance.”
Thunderous applause erupted. Not only the general audience but also the maestros had indescribable emotions swirling in their eyes.
Because they thought they would never again see Karas’s conduct during their remaining years.
“The first piece we will play is Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 in D major, Titan.”
The maestro turned with a smile and looked at the orchestra members.
The London Symphony members had gone through countless rehearsals for the Empress’s comeback stage. Their faces were visibly tense.
Of course, the audience filling the seats were all deeply knowledgeable about music. Moreover, it was the Empress’s comeback stage, so even the smallest mistake was not tolerated.
As the tension caused sweat to form on their hands, Karas made eye contact with each member.
Like a flowing wave, calmly.
At that moment, the members’ tension disappeared as if it were a lie.
The tip of the baton pointed to the ceiling, and the string melody caressed the ears. It was the first movement in a slow melody in 4/4 time in D major.
The maestros leaned forward, immersed in Karas’s conducting.
As her hand sliced through the air, the members moved in unison. As if tuning a small world.
When the tip of the baton tapped the ceiling once more, the trumpet sound broke through the dawn, like fish waking from a long sleep and breaking the ice in a winter pond.
The wild scherzo and trio gave the audience a vivid resonance of melody, like watching a movie.
From darkness to light.
Didn’t Mahler say that in the stormy fourth movement, the audience held their breath and widened their eyes?
It was the same now. As the maestro’s shoulders and fingertips moved as one, the grand and volcanic sound, like a giant’s footsteps, continuously pierced the audience’s ears.
Shhh!
The pure white dress fluttered in the wind, and like a hawk soaring to the sky, the maestro’s fingertips pointed to the ceiling.
The audience was witnessing a vivid scene before their eyes, like drawing a picture of the melody.
The journey towards the light, like animals waking from hibernation finding the vigor of spring.
At that moment, Hyun intuitively felt as he watched the maestro’s conduct. The legend has returned―!
“A dormitory, you say?”
Dmitri was surprised by the unexpected news. It was that Kang Hyun had entered the Royal Academy of Music as an exchange student and was living in the dormitory.
Spencer gave a faint smile and nodded briefly.
“The president personally approved his admission, and the professors are welcoming Hyun with open arms. With his wealth, it wouldn’t be strange if he bought a penthouse in downtown London, but he said he wanted to experience dormitory life while staying as an exchange student.”
“That’s unexpected. I thought he would be very particular about his privacy.”
“Perhaps he has never met geniuses of his age closely, so he might be curious to some extent. Come to think of it, Dmitri, you also lived in a dormitory when you were at the Moscow Conservatory, right?”
Dmitri did not deny it.
“Yes, Maestro. At that time in Moscow, all undergraduates had to live in dormitories. Looking back now, it was no different from the military. As you know, the hierarchical culture was firmly established in Moscow. Would you believe that I used to wash the pillowcases of the violinist Bin Poller, who was a year senior to me, every week?”
Bin Poller, the famous violinist from the Moscow Conservatory, was known in the classical music world as a walking skeleton due to his frail build.
In contrast, concertmaster Dmitri had the typical Russian physique and eyes sharp enough to take down a bear.
The thought of him washing the pillowcases of the walking skeleton made one smile wryly.
“The members want to meet Hyun, but it seems there are few opportunities since he’s living in the dormitory.”
“That’s right. Moreover, the assignments at the Royal Academy of Music are so rigorous that it would make you vomit. He probably won’t have much personal leisure time.”
“Is it that tough?”
“In the past, most couldn’t graduate. You have to pass strict standards to barely avoid failing. Even the current president, Crown Prince Samuel, attended the Royal Academy of Music but always thought about running away with me.”
It was hard to believe that Maestro Spencer, known as the heart of the London Symphony, had thought about running away. But his expression remained serious.
“The Royal Academy of Music, huh? It’s been decades since I graduated. Back then, there was no exchange student system. Even now, it’s nominally there, but they have never accepted an exchange student until now. It’s going to be very interesting. I’d love to revisit the Royal Academy of Music. The professors and students will be very interested in Hyun.”
Spencer licked his dry lips as if reminiscing about the past.
“He’s the first exchange student in history.”
For some reason, it felt like going back to my days as a student in Sillim-dong.
After entering the Law Department at Korea University in my past life, I immediately lived in a small room in Sillim-dong.
Carrying massive law books that could be used as weapons, I headed to a tiny study room where I could stretch out my legs.
“Compared to that, this is heaven.”
The dormitory of the Royal Academy of Music was spacious enough to be called a palace compared to the tiny study room in my past life. It had a single room with a desk and a personal bed.
Moreover, there was a window right in front of the desk overlooking the garden of the Royal Academy of Music. It was like a suite room.
Being one of the most prestigious music schools in Europe, the students’ skills were, of course, impeccable.
The melody coming through the window was clearly the performance of a cellist who had played the strings for quite a long time.
There was no need for a CD player as the scent of classical Western music filled the air from all directions. But then.
‘How long are they going to stare at me like a monkey in a zoo?’
Even during the interview with the Crown Prince President, I was under intense scrutiny, but it was nothing compared to the stares I received while carrying my luggage to the dormitory.
Most looked at me with curiosity as if seeing a mysterious animal in a zoo, but occasionally, I saw eyes filled with envy and jealousy.
Of course, being a music school based in London, many students would dream of joining the London Symphony.
Maestro Spencer, who usually spoke little, introduced me in interviews as the future leader, so their reaction was understandable.
At that moment.
Knock, knock.
At the sound of knocking, I opened the door to find a freckled boy peeking in.
“Hi, I’m Tommy. You must be Hyun, the exchange student? I’m majoring in cello, and I’ve been assigned to show you around the school!”
“Assigned to?”
“Ah, the violin majors are busy with the competition. You know, it’s the Queen Elisabeth Competition season.”
Ah, come to think of it, the Queen Elisabeth Competition must be happening now.
This year, the competition for violin was taking place, so as Tommy said, every student majoring in violin would have applied without exception.
“Hyun, have you had dinner?”
“Not yet.”
“Great. Then let’s go to the cafeteria first! Everyone’s waiting for you!”
Tommy treated me as if he had known me for a long time.
As I walked through the dormitory corridor led by the freckled boy, many students of various ethnicities stared at me again.
I felt like a transfer student caught in a storm.
“Hyun, I understand the curious looks from the students. You’re very famous, and rumors about you were already widespread before you even enrolled. Professors often talk about you during lessons. Being the joint disciple of the chief conductor of the London Symphony and the legendary Maestro Karas, it sounds like a movie plot.”
“A movie?”
“Yeah, you wouldn’t believe how much the girls at school have been eagerly waiting for you. You probably already have quite a few fans. Hyun, you’re incredibly attractive, you know.”
Is this how Harry Potter felt when he first entered Hogwarts?
Moreover, seeing Tommy’s suspicious eyes, I felt I needed to keep my distance from him. He looked at me with eyes full of affection, as if gazing at a loved one.
“Here we are. What do you think?”
“It’s enormous.”
“Well, it’s the cafeteria for all undergraduates, so it has to be big. But except for the dinner with the president on the first day of each month, it’s rare for all undergraduates to gather. Most skip meals because they’re busy practicing their instruments.”
“Wait, today is the first day, isn’t it?”
Students were arriving at the cafeteria one by one.
Tommy grabbed my hand and led me to the designated seats. It seemed today was the day for the dinner with the president.
Watching the students filling up the cafeteria, Tommy added.
“By the way, have you thought about how you’ll introduce yourself?”
What?
“Today, the president will introduce you to the students.”
It seemed like the initiation ceremony was going to be quite a spectacle.
