Shim, Kunsu

Shim, Kunsu, innovative Korean composer; b. Pusan, South Korea, Sept. 25, 1958. He studied composition with Inyong La at the Yonsei Univ. in Seoul (1979–83), and from 1983 to 1986 attended composition master classes with Sukhi Kang. In 1987 he went to Germany, where in he studied composition with Helmut Lachenmann at the Musikhochschule in Stuttgart (1987–88) and with Nicolaus Huber at the Folkwang Musikhochschule in Essen (1989–92). He won numerous prizes for his compositions in Seoul (1981–83), and in 1992 lectured at the Yonsei Univ., Kyemynug Univ., and Yongnam Univ. in Korea and in Lisbon. From 1993 he also gave workshops and lectures in the U.S., and was an artist-in-residence at the Djerassi Foundation in Woodside, Calif. (1993); in 2000 he made a lecture tour in Hong Kong and Korea. In 1998 he received a grant from the Akademie der Künste in Berlin.

Works

A Lasting Song for Geha for Piano (1990); Orchester in Stereo mit fünf sinustönen for 2 Orchs. (1990); Music for 4 Violins and 1 or 3 Players (1990; rev. 1992); …vague sensations of something vanishing for String Quartet and Double Bass (1992); …floating, song, feminine… for Marimba Player (1992); Peripatetic Exercise for 3 Tenor Recorder Players (1992); Peripatetic Exercise for Piano (1992); birds, stones, wind, in silences…, for Martha for Violin (1992); secret garden, 3 pieces for Piano, 7 Drums, and Cassette Recorder (1993); Marimba, Bow, Stone, Player for 1 Marimba Player with 2 Bows and Stones (1993); tree, voice…to move for 12 Vocalists (1993); (untitled) for Piano and Orch. (1993); (untitled) for Flute and Orch. (1993); für Wasser, fünf Glas-Flaschen, Steinchen und drei Spieler (Books 1 & 2, 1994); expanding space in limited time for Violin (1994); (untitled) for Flute and String Quartet (1994); positive spaces—for Lee Ufan I for Soprano, Flute, Clarinet, Violin, and Cello (1994), II for Saxophone, Trumpet, Violin, Piano, and 2 Percussionists (1994), III for Bass Flute, Violin, Piano, and Dancer (1994), and IV for Any Instruments in Any Number (1994); three poems—-for T. L. for Percussion Player (1994); (untitled) for Flute (1994); (untitled) for Piano (1994); man lässt Dinge fallen und beobachtet sie—eine Herbstmusik for Any Number of Players (1994); waiting moments/silences for 4 Voices (1994); eine Weile lang mit einem Violinisten, music for an individual listener (1994); silence, time, beginning for Flute, Clarinet, Voice, Violin, Viola, and Cello (1994–95).

—Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire