By Martin Lenkowsky
In Korean, the word nanum means “to share,” and classical pianist Soo Jung Kwon embodies that word’s true spirit.
A native of Korea, Kwon takes immense joy in sharing her musical talents with others. Currently, she is the artist in residence and a pianist accompanist at the First Presbyterian Church of Coral Springs.
She established the Nanum Concert Series to make classical music accessible to everyone. The series also provides a platform for other musicians to showcase their skills and improve their craft.
“The gift of music is not mine alone,” Kwon said. “I want it to be shared with others.”
Associate Pastor John Moore, a trained musician, said the congregation adores listening to Kwon at the piano. “It’s a great gift we can enjoy together,” he said.
Kwon, who lives in Boca Raton, graduated from Germany’s oldest music school, The University of Music and Theater in Leipzig, founded by Felix Mendelssohn in 1843. She has earned multiple degrees in piano performance, vocal coaching, and advanced piano studies in Korea, Germany, and the United States with full scholarships.
Unfortunately, after achieving her artistic goals, she experienced depression and burnout. She said she even lost her motivation to play music. “I lost my passion for the piano,” she recalled. But then, “A beautiful thing happened. I discovered my passion for teaching students and playing for church services.”
Soo Jung Kown and Pastor John Moore at the First Presbyterian Church of Coral Springs. {Martin Lenkowsky}.
She joined the church in 2019 and has played at Christmas and Easter concerts. The first concert in the Nanum Concert Series was in May 2022. It featured Kwon along with a clarinetist from Boston, Cameron Hewes. Moore described it as an outstanding musical event. “I heard someone in the audience say, ‘I didn’t know a clarinet could even do that.’”
The next concert in the series is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 18, at 4:00 p.m., featuring young talents and professional musicians. A Christmas concert is planned with Grammy Award-winning saxophonist Dr. Ed Calle, and a February concert is designed to showcase classical movie pieces that have appeared in motion pictures.
“I want to spread that classical music is not very difficult, and they can learn about it,” Kwon said.
Kwon and Moore want the Nanum Concert Series to serve as an educational opportunity for others as well. “In our last concert, he [pianist Steve R. Mento] did a short lecture on impressionistic music,” Moore said, “and did a piece he wrote. It was very interesting.”
Moore, a pastor in the church for 15 years, has been involved with music since 1974 as a symphonic trumpet player. He recognizes musical talent when he sees and hears it and was introduced to Kwon in 2019 by the church’s former pianist and accompanist, Kent Barnhill, when he left for South Korea to teach English. Barnhill recommended Kwon to be his replacement.
One early Sunday morning, Moore asked her to play for him. “As soon as her hands touched the piano, I knew she was an extraordinary talent,” he said. “Just to hear her play is just astounding.”
The Nanum Concert Series is free and open to the public. The church is located at 2251 Riverside Drive in Coral Springs.
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