At the moment when the audience’s attention was all focused,
Buzz.
A sharp melody reached the ceiling of the concert hall. A beam of light shone directly in the direction of the sound.
The audience gasped at the faint figure that appeared in the darkness.
A thin, long black string intertwined through the crimson soundboard, looking as if it was caressing the violinist’s cheek.
It was at that moment.
As the conductor’s hand moved,
Buzz―!
The violinist’s bow began to bow frantically.
The bow moved dazzlingly as if it wouldn’t miss a single note on the densely packed 32nd-note sheet music.
People watched the sight of the bow and strings constantly meeting, forgetting even to be amazed.
Even the masters sitting in the audience leaned forward in their seats, unable to believe their eyes.
Paganini Caprice No. 24.
It was a piece that encompassed numerous techniques such as parallel octaves, high positions, fast playing, pizzicato, and arpeggios.
Even the most distinguished masters are reluctant to perform Paganini’s pieces in concert. Yet, this violinist showed no hesitation at all.
As if Paganini had been reincarnated, he freely demonstrated his techniques. Moreover, the resonance instantly captivated the eyes and ears of the audience.
Like the devil’s melody.
Screech―!
The sound of the bow pressing hard on the strings was as sharp as a blade.
The orchestra members waiting for their cue doubted their eyes. Despite the overwhelming gaze of the numerous audience members, the violinist seemed to assert his presence even more.
The rehearsal had been good, but this felt entirely different.
The encore performance was so shocking that it made one forget the Beethoven recital.
As the violinist approached the stage, the brightness of the lights gradually increased. Finally, the violinist’s appearance became clear, and the audience exhaled their held breath in astonishment.
Buzz―!
The one who evoked the devil’s melody was none other than a young boy in a tuxedo!
The audience couldn’t tell if they were dreaming or if it was reality. Meanwhile, Yuri, the lion of the Berlin Philharmonic, was also gripping his hands tightly in his seat, his eyes wide open.
I dipped my fingers in ice water. The calluses that had formed between my fingers seemed ready to tear again.
The concert had been spread over two days, and there was still one encore left.
Paganini’s piece was filled with numerous notes. Even the most distinguished masters drank whiskey to soothe their nerves when playing Caprices. Without such measures, their fingers wouldn’t withstand the strain. However,
Thump, thump, thump.
After the performance ended, my heart pounded wildly.
The wave of emotions I hadn’t felt while holding the bow enveloped my whole body, making my legs tremble naturally.
However, the Stradivarius ‘Fantasia’ still shimmered with its silver strings as if it wanted to cry out.
At that moment,
Knock, knock.
With a knock, Spencer came to see me.
“Hyun, some guests have come from afar to see you.”
The sound of a wheelchair?
Of course, Spencer wouldn’t bring just anyone to the waiting room. “Oh?”
It was the elderly gentleman I had met at Bozar Hall. His intense gaze was still etched in my memory. The person pushing the wheelchair, perhaps the old man’s secretary, also had sharp eyes that didn’t seem ordinary.
“Nice to meet you, I am Gustav.”
No way!
Was he talking about the star of Austria?
“Ah, hello. I am Kang Hyun!”
I hurriedly bowed deeply in respect. After all, if the Gustav before me was indeed the star of Austria, he was already a living legend.
“I’m Diakov.”
Following him, the middle-aged man who had pushed the wheelchair also revealed his identity.
“Could it be Yuri Diakov, the conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic?”
The middle-aged man with piercing eyes gave a short nod in affirmation.
Wow―!
What was happening here?
“I never imagined the Maestro would come. If you had informed us in advance, we would have prepared a proper welcome.”
A modest table with refreshments and tea was prepared. Spencer, who usually appeared confident before anyone, was more humble than ever in front of the eternal Maestro Gustav.
“It’s alright. The star of today’s performance is the London Symphony and violinist Hyun. I came to congratulate, not to burden you. By the way, the tea is quite good. Is it traditional Korean tea?”
Although I didn’t know who prepared it, it was Ssanghwa tea. Even with egg yolk floating in it, Gustav sipped it as if savoring it.
“Hyun, may I touch your hand for a moment?”
Who could refuse such a request? Gustav gently handled my hand, then briefly closed and opened his eyes.
“It’s true. These are really hands that haven’t been playing the violin for long. I heard stories from Eden, but seeing it in person is astonishing. I never thought I’d be more surprised than when I first met Jascha.”
Jascha?
Could he be referring to the legendary genius Jascha Heifetz?
Yuri and Spencer silently sipped their tea.
The two men, both with piercing eyes, seemed to have an invisible tension sparking between them. At that moment, Gustav smiled warmly like a kind grandfather.
“Hyun, where do you want to go?” “Pardon?”
What was he talking about?
“Between London and Berlin.”
Gulp―!
Baek Junghoon’s Adam’s apple bobbed dramatically. Not a single renowned musician in the country was absent from the gathering at the Seoul Arts Center.
Understandably, it was the first time a world-renowned symphony orchestra had visited the country. Even the general public attended in greater numbers than expected.
He could never have imagined that so many people would be interested in classical music. With the filming cameras all around, it looked almost like a movie set.
“Oh my, hello, Junghoon!”
“Ah, hello.”
It was Kim Saetbyeol, a journalist from DailyQ who had interviewed him before. She spoke quietly, perhaps conscious of the surrounding attention.
“I didn’t know you returned to Korea so quickly.”
“I just came for a short visit.”
While studying abroad, he heard the news that the London Symphony was performing in Korea.
Of course, there was another reason for his sudden decision to return to Korea. He had received information that the child would be performing in the encore.
“Did you know that a Korean violinist will be performing in the encore today?”
“Yes, I know.”
Of course, it was the reason he took a flight to see the performance.
Seeing that Baek Junghoon had no particular reaction, Kim Saetbyeol turned her head to look at the stage. She was more focused on writing a vivid column about the London Symphony’s performance than conducting an interview.
“Wow―!”
Baek Junghoon had no time to care about the exclamations coming from the seat next to him.
Indeed, they lived up to their reputation as a top-tier symphony orchestra. With just a gesture from the conductor, the entire symphony became one resonance.
Performing a Beethoven recital on such a stage was an act of immense confidence. In short, they were on a different level.
Collaborating with such an orchestra was a lifelong dream for any musician.
‘How will he perform?’
As the encore approached, Baek Junghoon couldn’t help but feel his heart race. Perhaps somewhere in the dark audience, Professor Hirose was also present.
Just as his anticipation reached its peak,
The violin melody pierced his ears. A beam of light shone on the center of the audience. Baek Junghoon clenched his hands around his wildly beating heart.
The boy approached as if Paganini had been reincarnated. The previously restless audience was instantly captivated by the melody that pierced their souls.
Could a fourteen-year-old really have such audacious courage? The suffocating pressure felt like facing a virtuoso, tightening around his entire body.
When the performance ended, Baek Junghoon realized he was standing.
Clap, clap, clap, clap―!
Not only Baek Junghoon but everyone was giving heartfelt applause. Each person was overwhelmed by the thrill and emotion that coursed through them.
At that moment, Baek Junghoon’s eyes met Kim Saetbyeol’s, who had been seating next to him. Her eyes were also filled with tears, brimming with joy.
Kim Saetbyeol recalled what Baek Junghoon had told her during their interview.
―The future of classical music in Korea will undergo tremendous changes.
The past few days had been incredibly hectic.
As soon as the London Symphony’s concert ended, numerous media outlets and various broadcasters flooded in with interview requests. The attention was incomparable to when I appeared on the documentary “Life for Five Days.”
Even the 9 o’clock news aired footage of me playing the violin, so there was nothing more to say.
As I gazed endlessly out the car window,
“Hyun, are you really not considering studying abroad?”
Grandfather cautiously broached the subject.
He had done the same on the day of the performance. The eternal Maestro Gustav, known as the star of Austria, had asked me directly whether I would go to London or Berlin.
My answer was simple. I wasn’t thinking of going to either place yet.
Of course, it was an overwhelmingly generous offer, but I planned to stay in Korea at least until I became an adult.
If I received another collaboration offer, I could just take a plane and go for a short trip.
“Every learning opportunity has its time, and I’m concerned about that,” Grandfather said.
Many children who were considered prodigies in their youth grew up to be ordinary, so I fully understood Grandfather’s concern. However,
“I can do the music I want in Korea.”
Faced with my continued firm stance, Grandfather nodded as if he had no choice. Soon, the car driven by Mr. Kim arrived at a gallery in Seoul. I had visited this place often in my previous life. It was a gallery under the Jeil Foundation.
Im Hyera’s exhibition.
‘So she returned to Korea around this time.’
It marked the return of the lady who would later become the de facto owner of the Jeil Foundation. The people invited to the gallery were all prominent figures with wealth and power in the country.
Of course, renowned artists could also be seen occasionally. I wasn’t invited as Grandfather’s option today.
The gallery had directly sent an invitation to the violinist Kang Hyun.
“Oppa―!”
As expected, Son Yooha greeted me as soon as I entered the gallery. Judging by the dress adorned with lace, she seemed to be flaunting herself as if she were the main character of the day.
Her gaze towards me was unusual, and it seemed to have become even more intense after my collaboration with the London Symphony.
I could feel the occasional gaze of people. Considering the extensive news coverage, there was probably no one here who didn’t know the violinist Hyun.
However, everyone maintained their decorum and didn’t approach me abruptly.
At that moment,
“Chairman Yoo, thank you for coming.”
A woman with a somewhat cold impression bowed to Grandfather.
Her long straight hair and impressive height would rival any model. At a glance, she looked like an older version of Son Yooha. I knew exactly who she was.
“It’s been a while, Artist Im. Have you permanently moved back to Korea?”
“Yes, my father insisted, and I decided to live in Korea again.”
She was none other than Son Yooha’s mother. In my previous life, she had served as the chairwoman of the Jeil Foundation. Son Ilsung’s autobiography described her as follows:
‘The scariest person after my father is my wife.’
In my previous life, working in the legal team, I had frequent contact with the Jeil Foundation. The Jeil Foundation, with its fast money circulation, often required legal services.
I suddenly remembered how I used to submit reports to Chairwoman Im Hyera every morning. Because of that, I got to know her personality better than anyone else in the company.
“So you are the famous Kang Hyun?”
Yes, Chairwoman.
