Principal oboist Hyunggeun Lee will present a recital that pairs Baroque masterworks with twentieth-century classics, using the oboe's evolving repertoire to reflect on his own artistic journey. Titled A Journey to Find Oboe and Me, the performance takes place on July 7 at 7:30 p.m. in the IBK Chamber Hall at Seoul Arts Center, with pianist Juyeon Jang joining him in a program that moves between solo and chamber repertoire.
Rather than offering a survey of familiar works, Lee has assembled music that highlights the many voices of the oboe across different periods and styles. Alternating between unaccompanied works and compositions for oboe and piano, the recital follows the instrument from the clarity of the Baroque to the emotional depth and expanded palette of twentieth-century music.
The evening opens with Georg Philipp Telemann's Twelfth Fantasy for Solo Oboe, one of the foundational works of the Baroque repertoire. Written without accompaniment, the piece demands exceptional control of phrasing, articulation and tone, allowing a single melodic line to suggest both structure and harmony while placing the instrument's expressive character fully in the spotlight.
Michael Hurd's Concerto da Camera for Oboe and Piano shifts the focus from solo expression to musical dialogue. Rather than emphasizing virtuosity, the work unfolds through a lively exchange between the two performers, with the oboe's lyrical lines complemented by the piano's rhythmic vitality and rich harmonic support.
Closing the first half is Witold Lutosławski's Epitaph for Oboe and Piano, a compact work whose emotional impact lies in its restraint. Fragmented melodic ideas, spacious textures and carefully measured silences create an atmosphere of quiet reflection, revealing the composer's remarkable ability to say more with less.
Following the intermission, Lee returns alone for Benjamin Britten's Six Metamorphoses after Ovid, a landmark of the solo oboe repertoire inspired by figures from classical mythology. Each movement presents a distinct dramatic character, challenging the performer to create an entire narrative through color, articulation and imagination without the support of another instrument.
The recital concludes with Francis Poulenc's Oboe Sonata, one of the composer's final completed works and a cornerstone of the modern oboe repertoire. Blending graceful lyricism with understated melancholy, the sonata gradually settles into a reflective close, ending the program not with spectacle but with quiet emotional resonance.
Lee described the recital as an opportunity to look back on the relationship he has built with the instrument over the course of his career.
"Since I first began playing, the oboe has been the truest way for me to express what words often could not," he said. "Many of my memories, emotions and experiences have found their place in music, and every performance has become part of that journey."
He continued, "This recital is my chance to revisit that journey. Although these works come from different eras and traditions, they are connected by the unique voice of the oboe. I hope audiences will discover not only the character of each composer, but also the story that unfolds across the entire program."
Lee graduated from Sunhwa Arts High School and Hanyang University before earning his master's degree at the State University of Music and Performing Arts Stuttgart. A prizewinner at Italy's Chieri International Music Competition, he has collaborated with internationally renowned musicians including Daniel Schnyder and has performed under distinguished conductors such as Riccardo Muti as principal oboist of the Gyeonggi Philharmonic Orchestra. He currently serves as an adjunct professor at Hanyang University.
Pianist Juyeon Jang completed the prestigious Konzertexamen program at Germany's Hochschule für Musik Detmold with highest honors. Active as both a soloist and chamber musician, she has built a broad repertoire ranging from Mozart to contemporary music.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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