On March 30, Sangwoo Park performed the final free recital of the 2023-2024 academic year.
Park is a graduate student pursuing a doctorate in musical arts at the University of Connecticut. Some other prior performances hosted by von der Mehden include Evan Timnev, an undergraduate student who had a voice recital, Luigi Polcari, a graduate student who had a cello recital and Michael Eby, a graduate student who had a violin recital.
There was no introduction to Park’s performance. He simply bowed after entering the stage and started playing the three-movement “Piano Sonata No. 23 in F minor, Op. 57” by Ludwig van Beethoven.
The first movement, “Allegro assai,” made it evident that this wasn’t an average recital. Park reverberated emotion through the piano he was playing as well as his movements and facial expressions. His short hair shook with the intensity of the piano notes he memorized. It felt like the audience was intruding on a personal performance.
“Andante con moto,” the second movement, began after a short and eerie pause. It sounded somewhat original and not connected to the first movement due to how peaceful it was. A section of the composition was reminiscent of “Clair de Lune” by Claude Debussy. Just as the audience became well-acquainted with the calmness, the third and final movement began like a relapse of negativity.
“Allegro ma non troppo–Presto” was jarring. While the melody was like a leaf in the wind fluttering by, the bassline was like a large and heavy rock. There was a sense of panic and fear within the rendition of the composition that was mostly left unresolved after the piece was over.
I just played in korea. first time in uconn.
Sangwoo Park
Park performed Maurice Ravel’s “La valse, poème chorégraphique” next. He was feeling the music so much his body circulated as he played. There was a moment that was reminiscent of the piano in “Doll Eyes” by Komm, Süßer Tod. It was peaceful at times, but the composition ended on a turbulent note abruptly.
The final composition Park performed was Franz Liszt’s “Piano Sonata in B minor, S. 178.” While it started soft, it quickly intensified. Park began blinking his eyes to the rhythm of the music. There was somewhat of a triumphant twist in the composition, but it was soured by the overpowering negativity of the rest of the song. The composition fluctuated between serenity and chaos. There was an extremely loud and fast-paced moment that was simultaneously ear-grating and entrancing. It was followed by a quiet moment where a singular note was played. As the emotions fluctuated between opposites, Park looked like he was in pain.
“Thank you for coming today,” Park said after the performance while trying to calm down.
For the few who attended the recital, it seems that all of them were immersed in the music and in the world that Park painted. An audience member likened the performance to a psychedelic that one could “Instantly sober from” due to how their mind drifted away into emotional thoughts as Park played. Some of Park’s friends and teachers congratulated him after the performance.
When asked about past performances, Park said “I just played in Korea. First time in UConn.”
When asked if he’ll perform at UConn in the future, Park said “Maybe next year.”