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The Korean-American viola player Richard Yongjae O¡¯Neill (29) has again surprised the classical music world, clinching a contract with the world¡¯s leading classical label Deutsche Grammophon to record an album that will feature Schubert¡¯s Arpeggione Sonata and a viola version of ¡°Winterreise.¡± O¡¯Neill is only the third Korean to release an album with the DG after conductor Chung Myung-whun, and the Chung-trio (Chung kyung-hwa, Chung Myung-hwa, Chung Myung-whun). DG with its century-long history is the ¡°dream label¡± in classical music. Its recording stars include such legendary figures as the conductors Herbert von Karajan and Claudio Abbado and the violinist Anne Sophie Mutter.
Yongjae O¡¯Neill was born to Lee Bok-sun (53), who was adopted by an American family during the Korean War. Lee suffered a brain impairment from a childhood fever and Yongjae was raised by his grandfather, Perry O¡¯Neill. Until he died two years ago, Perry O¡¯Neill ran a small repair shop but managed to take care of 36 foster children over the years. O¡¯Neill started playing the violin when he was five but financial difficulties at home made it impossible even to dream of getting lessons or entering a private school. But his grandfather said it was perseverance that was most important to succeed in life, and he has never forgotten that, said O¡¯Neill. Drawn by its richer, deeper tone, Yongjae later switched to viola.
He earned his M.M. from Juilliard School and made his debut as a soloist in 2000, performing with the LA Philharmonic Orchestra. He also serves as a principal viola with International Sejong Soloists, a string ensemble that tours internationally. Sejong¡¯s founder, Prof. Kang Hyo of Juilliard and his wife Kang Gyeong-won, gave O¡¯Neill his Korea name, Yongjae. O¡¯Neill¡¯s second album ¡°Lachrymae,¡± which included Offenbach¡¯s Les Larmes de Jacqueline and a traditional Korean children¡¯s song, Island Babe, sold over 40,000 copies last year, the highest sales in Korea¡¯s classic music chart. Recognizing O¡¯Neill¡¯s genius, DG dispatched a producer from the prestigious Emil Berliner Studio to Korea to oversee the recording.
The studio¡¯s producer Mark Bueker took charge of arranging the Schubert pieces for viola and guitar. ¡°Amid classic album sales slowing down worldwide, their growth in Asian market including Korea is truly remarkable,¡± Bueker said. ¡°Yongjae O¡¯Neill¡¯s viola has a very warm tone and he is an ever enterprising artist who tries to understand what he plays.¡± O¡¯Neill¡¯s new album is slated for release early next month. His next performance will be on Nov. 2 in contemporary music project Ars Nova headed by Seoul Philharmonic composer Jin Eun-sook.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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