After injury, Chung Kyung-wha returns to Carnegie with a trusted musical partner

In 1967, a 19-year-old Chung Kyung-wha stood on the stage of Carnegie Hall for the final of the Leventritt Competition, sharing first prize with Israeli violinist Pinchas Zukerman — a victory that launched her international career.

Fifty years later, she marked the milestone — and her twentieth performance at Carnegie — in the same hall with Bach’s complete Sonatas and Partitas.

On Nov. 7, the legendary Korean violinist returns once more, following years of recovery from injury. This time, she is joined by her longtime musical partner, American pianist Kevin Kenner, whose contrasting temperament, she says, creates a rare balance in their music.

Together, they will perform violin sonatas by Romantic composers Schumann, Grieg and Franck. "These are works that beautifully express the singing quality of the violin,” Chung explained. Among them, the Franck Sonata is her trademark work, which she has performed with many renowned pianists, including Radu Lupu, Krystian Zimerman, Cho Seong-jin and Lim Dong-hyek.

“I think I will perform the Franck Sonata until the day I die, because I have so much to say through this piece,” she said during a press conference on Thursday.

The Franck Sonata was also the very first piece she and Kenner performed together in 2011 at Music in PyeongChang. Chung and her sister, cellist Chung Myung-wha, served as artistic directors of the music festival for eight years until 2018. Since then, Kenner has become a trusted partner of Chung.

“I really enjoy the dialogue that unfolds when performing with Kevin. Our personalities are so different,” she said.

“I’m very direct and intuitive by nature, whereas Kevin Kenner is the complete opposite. His mind is remarkably composed. He’s a scholar. At first, when we started playing together, I found myself really drawn to his ideas," she said.

The differences were palpable. Chung, with purple hair, had the press conference erupt in laughter several times, while Kevin answered questions in a composed manner.

"In some ways, I even felt a bit stifled. But in the end, our balance is excellent. When we share interpretations, the music that emerges is truly fascinating. Honestly, if my health allowed, I would have loved to do many more programs with Kevin: Schubert, Mozart, Beethoven, and so on. It’s only because my body hasn’t been in the best condition, but I still have so many things I want to do," she shared.

Performing with Chung for the past 15 years has been a transforming experience, Kenner said at the press conference.

“When you’ve had that much time to work through the repertoire together, and to learn from each other’s impulses and approaches to art, there’s a kind of long-term cultivation in the relationship. And I feel that’s deeply valuable," the pianist said.

"For me, it’s a great honor to present them in a place that so powerfully symbolizes the beginning of her career. And this program is a full circle, and I’m truly honored to be part of that story," he added.

Speaking about her younger brother Chung Myung-whun being appointed music director of La Scala, Chung said, “It’s something I could never have imagined. I’m overjoyed and happy. I wonder what our mother would think, looking down from heaven,” she noted, adding, "I'm humbled by Myung-whun."

With a strong backing from their devoted parents, the three Chung siblings, born around the Korean War of 1950-1953, became world-renowned musicians. Considered the first generation of Korean classical music pioneers, they have inspired countless young artists in Korea.

Now, Korean musicians have established a solid presence on international stages, with many gaining recognition at major competitions.

A younger, fiery Chung once played with the aim of provoking instant standing ovations, she said. Now, with a deeper understanding of the music, she likens herself to an anchovy, a tiny fish struggling to swim in a vast ocean.

“It only gets harder as time goes on. In the past, I used to think, ‘If I just work hard, it will turn out well.’ But that’s nonsense. You have to dedicate yourself to music with unrelenting focus, holding onto it until the day you die," she stressed. "Among today’s younger musicians, I think of someone like (Lim) Yunchan. He’s walking that path through his training, and it will be interesting to watch where it leads," she added.

Kenner, a laureate of the 1990 International Chopin Piano Competition — where he received second prize (no first prize was awarded) and the Polonaise Prize — said that "wide-ranging interest in all kinds of music and your ability to transcend simply playing an instrument" is advice he would give to young musicians.

“In today’s generation, which is so competitive, especially with competitions like the Chopin Competition, there’s a strong temptation to focus only on playing pieces as perfectly as possible. But in truth, what makes an artist isn’t perfection or technical skill alone — it’s something more comprehensive, more all-encompassing,” added Kenner, who will serve as a judge at the competition in October.

The duo launched their Korean tour on Sept 13. After performing in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, on Sept. 21, Seoul on Sept. 24 and Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, on Sept. 26, the two embark on their US tour, which includes a concert at Carnegie Hall on Nov. 7. Other North American stops include Mechanics Hall in Worcester, Massachusetts, on Nov. 2, McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton, New Jersey, on Nov. 5 and Koerner Hall in Toronto, Canada, on Nov. 9.