Korean Musician rejects Hong Nan-pa award Composer and violinist Hong Nan-pa (1897-1941) sparked controversy in 2009 when he was included on a list of pro-Japanese collaborators. / Korea Times file By Do Je-hae The Hong Nanpa Memorial Award has been among the most prestigious honors for Korea’s classical musicians since its inception in 1968. It would have gone to composer Ryu Jea-joon this year but instead he has caused a stir with the first case of a boycott of the award. Ryu announced on his Facebook page Wednesday that he didn’t want to be associated with a prize that honors Hong Nan-pa (1897-1941) who was involved in pro-Japanese activities later in his life despite an indisputable reputation as “Korea’s Schubert.” Hong was famous for many compositions, including his 1919 song “Bongseonhwa,” that are considered Korean versions of “Lieder” (Song), a genre synonymous with Schubert. He was also Korea’s first violinist. But by 1930, Hong was participating in pro-Japanese activities thorough composing and newspapers contributions. In 1940, he wrote a column for the Maeil Sinbo, urging people to be patriotic toward Japan through music. “I have come to be doubtful of the fairness and morality of this award, since it was founded to honor a musician who sympathized with Japanese rule,” Ryu said. The composer also said that he questioned the musicianship of some of the award’s past recipients. Some of Korea’s most renowned instrumentalists, composers and conductors have accepted the award, including violinists Kang Tong-suk and Sarah Chang, soprano Sumi Jo, pianist Paik Kun-woo and cellist-turned-conductor Chang Han-na. But there have been some questionable recipients such as Hahm Shin-ik, a former chief conductor of the KBS Symphony ousted in disgrace by the orchestra members; and soprano Kim In-hae who was fired by Seoul National University for physically abusing her students during classes. “We have no intention of forcing the award on someone who wants nothing to do with it,” Song Tae-ok, head of the Hong Nanpa Memorial Association said. “Since violinist Chung Kyung-wha won it in 1968, we are confident that we have fairly selected the nation’s foremost musicians as recipients of the award.” Organizers announced that the award will go to soprano Im Sun-hae instead of Ryu. The primary reason behind Ryu’s boycott is the controversy Hong generated after he was listed in 2009 along with some 700 others as collaborators during the final stages of Japanese colonial rule from 1937 through 1945. The list was compiled by the Presidential Committee for the Inspection of Collaborations for Japanese Imperialism founded during the Roh Moo-hyun administration. The list has included other pioneering Koreans in the arts, like composer Ahn Eak-tay who created the national anthem “Aegukga” and became the first Korean to conduct the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra. Ryu, 43, trained Music Academy in Krakow in Poland as a student of the renowned Polish composer Krzysztof Penderecki. Ryu is a composer-in-residence of the Gozow Philharmonic Orchestra in Poland the artistic director of Seoul International Music Festival and the Casals Festival in Korea. Major works include a violin concerto (2007) and “Sinfonia da Requiem (2008).” [email protected], koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2013/09/135_142724.html
Posted on: Fri, 13 Sep 2013 07:35:48 +0000
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