Violinist Benny Kim Premieres Commissioned Work at UW Feb. 2 |  
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Jan. 24, 2007 -- Benny Kim, one of the world's top violinists, will premiere a commissioned work Friday, Feb. 2, at 7:30 p.m. in the University of Wyoming Fine Arts Center concert hall. A brief pre-concert ceremony with the composer is scheduled at 7:15 p.m.
The work, commissioned by UW Cultural Programs and the Department of American Studies, and in conjunction with four other Wyoming presenters, will be part of a program that will also include works by Bach, Saint-Saens, and Piazzolla.
Tickets, which cost $16 for the general public and $13 for students and seniors, are available at the Fine Arts Center box office, (307) 766-6666, or online at www.uwyo.edu/finearts.
The composer is Marc Neikrug of Santa Fe, New Mexico, who, in addition to being an accomplished composer, is also well known as Pinchas Zukerman's regular accompanist. Kim will publicly debut the Neikrug work at UW, and then showcase it on the Wyoming tour, which will include the sponsoring communities of Rock Springs, Casper, Gillette, and Sheridan. He will also perform twice in Colorado on the tour. Every community that helped fund the piece will host a performance.
"It is (virtually) unprecedented to get a number of co-collaborators to commission a piece," Kim says.
A violin virtuoso who has performed with major American orchestras and international ensembles in more than 20 countries, Kim says playing smaller venues is often more rewarding.
"People approach you after a performance -- it always makes it worthwhile. They are appreciative of your skill, taking the time to play for them. This is the best part of my job," he says.
The February tour will be Kim's fourth Wyoming visit in 12 years.
"Playing in L.A., Chicago, and New York, that is all great," he says, "but people tend to be jaded about music there. People in places like Wyoming, especially the smaller towns, don't have many opportunities to hear a lot of classical music, especially music that has just been commissioned. This is a very unique opportunity."
Kim, who admits he "often had a difficult relationship with practicing" as a young boy learning violin and piano, will work with aspiring musicians in each community on the Wyoming tour. He will present a master class for UW and a residency activity for Laramie High School students.
"In this day and age it is extremely difficult to be a professional performer and classical musician. I try to emphasize (to students) the importance of being diverse," Kim says, adding diversity for a classical musician should include being a technically-competent soloist, a well-versed chamber musician, and an accomplished orchestral musician.
"In the studio, my primary interest is to make (the students) better violinists and determine what makes them love their music," Kim says. "We are really vessels for the composers and are supposed to carry what the composers have in their minds and in their hearts to the audience."
Posted on Wednesday, January 24, 2007
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