Israeli professor at SNU holds solo recital on Wed.

Israeli pianist Aviram Reichert who was appointed as a professor at Seoul National University`s College of Music in March is having a great time teaching his 12 students.

"Me and my students share a very good relationship - I call them `family students,`" he said in last week`s interview with The Korea Herald, adding that he gets inspired by interacting with creative and original young artists.

Instead of telling the students what to do, Reichert said he only guides them - telling them what he does not think is tasteful and letting them make their own choices.

"There must be some choice for a musician. It (music) is not random. That`s why it`s art," he said.

The pianist has a special relationship with Korea.

He was the first winner of the local Dong-A Music Competition in 1996, which has so far been bringing him back to perform in East Asian countries like Korea and Japan.

But familiarity was not what brought him back here to teach, he said. It was rather the quality of the university - Reichert called SNU an "academic heaven" - that drew him.



Having spent eight years as a professor and artist-in-residence at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Michigan before coming to Seoul, Reichert is an artist who has been showing a passion for teaching alongside his performing career.

Reichert said he gradually found himself enjoying the master classes he gave to young musicians during the past 15 years of his performing life and thus began considering doing it on a more regular bases.

"As a performer, I only think about things and not articulate them. But in lessons, I have to pin-point them verbally (to my students). That helps my performance to become more precise and molded as well," he said. "One cannot exist without another. I would not be the performer that I am without my teaching experience and vice versa."



Whereas some performers choose to "live in a bubble" - exclusively concentrating on performing - the pianist said he prefers to be the "breathing, living type," who interacts with the environment around him.

Although the beginning of his Seoul life was a little challenging, Reichert gradually started to enjoy it, thanks to his supportive students and colleagues, not to mention the "fabulous" subway system.

Having been granted a tenure track for his position at SNU, Reichert said he plans to stay at least 4-5 more years here with his family.

Reichert occasionally used the conjunctive adverb "hajiman" (but) and some Korean words like "jeomjeom" (slowly slowly) that he naturally picked up. In fact, he is thinking of signing up for a Korean language class offered at the university next semester, he said.

Reichert holds his first solo recital since being appointed a professor at SNU, "Recital in B-Flat," Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts` Chamber Hall.

He will play Schubert`s Impromptu and Piano Sonata, and Prokofiev`s Piano Sonata.

"I think it (the recital) has a symbolic significance. I want to share my musical taste and philosophy with Korean audiences because I was responsible for programming and of course, performing," he said.

Choosing B-flat and the two composers` works for the recital has a lot of meaning -the tunes will have a sense of profoundness and heavy feeling, Reichert explained. Yet the music will still be easy for the audience to listen to, he added.

Tickets are 30,000 won. For more information, call (02) 780-5054.

(youngaah@heraldm.com)



By Koh Young-aah