Hailed as “exceedingly interesting” (New York Concert Review) and “kaleidoscopic” (San Francisco Classical Voice), pianist Eunmi Ko concertizes as a recitalist and chamber musician throughout Asia, Europe and the Americas. As a sought-after collaborator and champion of new music, she works with contemporary composers, ensembles, and performers from around the world. Ko’s program will include new music composers Kline, Berio and Liberatore, among others.
DETAILS:
The concert will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 31, 2023 at 7:00pm, in the Sottile Theatre, 44 George St. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased through the George Street Box Office online, at the door, by emailing gsbo@cofc.edu, or by calling (843) 953-4726. Admission is $10 for College of Charleston students and FREE for youth (18 and under). Free tickets must be secured before the concert by emailing or visiting the box office. Patrons can find info and ticket links at go.cofc.edu/ips.
About Eunmi Ko:
Eunmi Ko has appeared in concert halls and festivals, including Carnegie Hall, Herbst Theatre, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Festival de Musica Contemporanea (Madrid), CLUSTER (Italy), San Francisco International Piano Festival, Seoul Arts Center, among others. Praised for original interpretations, abundance of piano technique, and interesting programming, she performs a wide range of piano repertoire, from premieres of new works by living composers to the traditional and rarely played piano works.
Her work can be viewed on YouTube and iTunes.
Ko frequently communicates with young pianists through recitals and masterclasses at conservatories and universities. She was the guest artist at the Real Conservatorio Superior de Musica de Madrid, Universidad X el Sabio, EAFIT University (Colombia), Thessaloniki State Conservatory (Greece), Hong Kong Baptist University, The Education University of Hong Kong, Soochow University (Taiwan), Fu Jen Catholic University (Taiwan), University of Maryland, University of Georgia, among others.
As a sought-after collaborator and champion of new music, she works with contemporary composers, ensembles, and performers. Ko is co-founder and co-director of the new music ensemble Strings & Hammers, which has the unusual instrumentation of violin, piano, and double bass. Each year, Strings & Hammers collaborates with different composers for their project and gives several premieres nationally and internationally. The ensemble’s residency includes COMA’16 in Madrid, Eastman School of Music, USF New Music Consortium, McCormick Percussion Group, among others.
Since 2015 she has been the resident artist for the award-winning percussion ensemble McCormick Percussion Group (MPG) in which she collaborated with Director Robert McCormick for the Concerti for Piano and Percussion Project. Their collaborative partners included composers Alessandro Annunziata, Anthony R. Green, Emily Koh, David Liptak, Hilary Tann, among others. Recent recording releases include STRINGS & HAMMERS (Ravello Records), CONSTELLATIONS (Innova Recordings), KID STUFF (Ravello Records), and PLACES & TIMES (Innova Recordings).
Ko holds graduate degrees (MM and DMA) from the Eastman School of Music, where she studied with Rebecca Penneys. From 2013 to 2018, she was on the artist faculty of Rebecca Penneys Piano Festival. In 2011, she was the Assistant Director of Women in Music Festival (Rochester, NY), which hosted 35 composers and involved over 150 performers annually.
Ko teaches at the University of South Florida as Associate Professor of Piano. From 2015 to 2021, she served as co-advisor of the USF New Music Consortium. She is the co-founder and President of the Contemporary Art Music Project (CAMP) and was the artistic director of the international new music festival, Dot The Line (Korea).
Since 2017, Ko has collaborated with mezzo-soprano Thea Lobo for Indictus Project, art song discovery project that archives work by marginalized composers. She serves as the assistant director and pianist of the Indictus Project.
Ko also can be heard on the recently published CD release of ORCHARD (Neuma Records), UNUS MUNDUS (Innova Recordings), MUSICAL LANDSCAPES OF HILARY TANN (Centaur Records, “I am captivated by the program and recommended it to you who seek new avenues in tonality today. It charms consistently without pandering in the slightest.”– Gapplegate Classical-Modern Music Review), SHE ROSE AND LET ME IN (Centaur Records, “This is an unusual but beautifully assembled program…The performance is superb.”- American Record Guide), and PLOT: MUSIC FOR UNSPECIFIED INSTRUMENTATION (Ravello Records).
About the International Piano Series:
Housed within the College of Charleston School of the Arts under the Department of Music, the International Piano Series is Charleston's longest running, year-round program with a pure focus on piano. Consistent with the School's mission, the series plays a distinctive role in the lives of students and the community by implementing excellence in the arts and education and cultivating piano music appreciation.
For the remainder of the IPS 2023-2024 season, Artistic Director Paul Sánchez has assembled a variety of performances celebrating piano music and more:
Feb. 6, 2024:Jeffrey LaDeur
Jeffrey LaDeur is known for his rare blend of insight, spontaneity, and approachable, communicative stage presence. Clic Musique Magazine (France) lauded “…an irreproachable legato, a beautiful palette of nuances, and an always well-balanced sound.” Having inherited a rich tradition of pianism and interpretation from Annie Sherter, student of Vlado Perlemuter and Alfred Cortot, LaDeur has established himself as a compelling exponent of classic and new repertoire. In March of 2018, LaDeur made his solo recital debut at Carnegie Hall on the centennial of Claude Debussy’s death. He appears regularly with orchestra and maintains a repertoire of over 40 concerti. LaDeur is the founder and artistic director of the San Francisco International Piano Festival and president of the American Liszt Society, San Francisco Bay Area Chapter.
April 9, 2024: Petronel Malan:
"Formidable…dizzying…magical.” These words from New York reviewer Harris Goldsmith vividly illustrate pianist Petronel Malan’s uniquely captivating style. Indeed, as a multiple Grammy® nominee and gold medalist of several international piano competitions, Petronel continues to enthrall audiences worldwide. Lauded by reviewers as an unmistakably creative force in the classical music industry, Petronel’s critical acclaim culminated in the nomination of three Grammy® Awards, including “Best Instrumental Solo Album” for her debut disc Transfigured Bach. Petronel maintains a full performance schedule as recitalist, orchestral soloist and chamber musician in major venues throughout the world. After her European debut in Rome, further highlights have included Carnegie Recital Hall, Théâtre du Châtelet & Salle Cortot (Paris), Mozarteum (Salzburg), Liszt Museum (Budapest), Orchestra Hall (Chicago), Alte Handelsbörse (Leipzig), Bass Hall (Fort Worth), as well as the Ravinia, Gilmore & Music in the Mountain Festivals.