photo: Ookjin You
On July 1, pianist Ookjin You took her talents to South Korea to perform a dazzling program of classical music spanning works by Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, and a Piano Sonata by late PARMA artist and composer Dennis Kam (1942–2018) at Seoul Art Center.
“The performance went very well,” said You. “I am thankful to share Dennis Kam’s music with a wider audience. It means a great deal to me.”
Recommended through PARMA’s Performance Outreach, Kam’s Piano Sonata No. 1 employs a non-tonal, modernist arrangement reminiscent of 1960s post-Webern music. You’s performance in Seoul reinforced her duality as a pianist and her strong penchant for diverse programming.
The pianist maintains an intimate connection with classical and contemporary repertoire, reflected in her Navona Records catalog with recordings of works by Bach, Mozart and Mussorgsky, and contemporary composers Chad Robinson and Carl Vollrath.
Kam was a pillar of his musical community and an active composer and conductor who received grants and commissions from the Ford Foundation, BMI, and numerous ensembles. His music is meticulously composed, brimming with energy, and textually intricate.
Learn more about Kam’s artistic legacy in our tribute to the late composer.
