Yoon Kwon's Blog

Dear World,
Ok, so my New Year Resolution is to update my blog regularly… I really really hope I can keep up!!! I also resolved (resoluted??) to make a YouTube Channel devoted to ALL the things I love in the world. Music, fashion, makeup, and yes… marriage…. because I’m getting married!!!!! I got engaged to my amazing boyfriend of 2 1/2 years this past Thanksgiving, and we are tying the knot in August! More info to come soon!!!!! We are just in the beginning stages of planning! So an exciting year coming up for me. Hopefully I will not forget to share it with the world!!!!!!
Love,
Yoon

Hello World…
No exclamation point for me today. It’s a rather grey day today in the Big Apple, and I’m feeling pretty blue. I think I’m going to chalk it up to “one of those off days”, but I definetely woke up in a strange mood. I think I’m disappointed in humanity today. Everyone seems to be only out for their own good – so much backstabbing, manipulating, lying. I am for sure, not perfect by any means, but I think that I am honest. Maybe too honest? I just cannot put a fake smile on my face and tell people what they want to hear. I think that is so disrespectful, to others, but to your own integrity! That’s enough negativity for today. Um… where is the pink flowers and sequins dresses? Haha. I think it’s time for me to “take out the trash”.
Hoping for a sunny day,
Yoon

Hello World!
What an adventure I had during the month of April! After my last post, it’s been a whirlwind of events. I performed the Brahms Sextet concert, and that itself was an intense experience. I love that piece, but it’s a beast! I wish I could have another go at it. I love that about music though; every time you play a piece, even if you’ve played it a million times, you always want to do it again, better, differently. I didn’t have too much time to dwell on it that day because as soon as the concert ended at 5pm, my boyfriend Justin and I had to literally race to my next concert in Nyack. It was a 2 hour drive; we stopped to get a couple of sandwiches and I inhaled it in the car. We arrive at our next destination at 7:10pm. Concert starts at 7:30pm. I made it! Bach is such a completely different animal than the Brahms or Dvorak. Playing with Tony (Newman) is such a joy though. He really draws you into his “Bach world” and it becomes effortless. What a genius he is. By the time the concert ended, I was emotionally and physically drained. I couldn’t move my fingers, open my eyes, nor speak in complete sentences. What did the next day hold for me though? The beginning of our long awaited vacation!! We were flying to Prague!!!!!

Good thing that our flight was 4pm because I needed some sleep after the day I had the day before. The flight was smooth although neither of us god a wink of sleep because it was bright outside AND the plane’s reading lights were broken so they had to leave the overhead lights on for the whole flight!!! I have flown so many times in my life, yet it never gets any easier. I hate the smell, I feel claustrophobic, and I hate feeing bloated!!!! We finally get to Prague, connecting in Amsterdam, and my best friend from high school, Klara, who I hadn’t seen in YEARS, was there with her mom and her cutie-pie youngest son, 1 year old Votja.

This is only the beginning of my adventure in Prague, but I must take a break from typing, so I will leave you here, hanging. Be back soon! Enjoy the day today. It is finally feeling like summer. 2 more weeks till my MET season ends!!!!

Hello World!
It’s a gorgeous day in New York; I think it’s 80 degrees out! 5 days till vacation. It’s the busiest 5 days yet.
I just finished a 3 1/2 hour rehearsal of Rossini’s Armida, and my body is killing me! My neck is sore; my back hurts from sitting; the rest of my body is sore from doing the 300 workout at the gym yesterday. Now it’s 3:40pm, and I have until 7:40 before I have to leave my beautiful new apartment to go back to the MET to play Traviata. In that 4 hours, I have to work out, practice, and make dinner. Oh, and eat dinner. All hopefully before my boyfriend gets home from work so we can watch Jeopardy together – a little tradition that has developed this year, since our schedule only allows us to be together from 6:45-7:40pm on the weekdays.

I’m playing Brahms Sextet in G Major for the first time this weekend. It’s one of those ever popular pieces that everyone has played a billion times, and I just never did. It’s a little bit intimidating to play it with musicians who know it forwards and back, but hopefully I can bring something new to the table. When I was younger, I used to worry about what people thought – do they like my playing, do they go home and talk about how awful I am? Haha. Then I realized that it really doesn’t matter. People who judge are just insecure in their own musicianship, and don’t have enough respect for the music doesn’t have a right or wrong answer. Don’t get me wrong, I catch myself judging all the time at the opera – conductors, singers, other violininsts, but I always try to stop myself. It’s just my boredom talking. Everyone could learn something from everyone. At the end of the day, I feel lucky that I am surrounded by amazing and different musicians everyday.

My cute Snorkie (yorkie + mini schnauzer) puppy is suspiciously sniffing around. Better go prevent an accident.
Till next time,
Yoon

Hi World! I can’t believe after my amazing website designer Ethan finished my website months ago, I’m just now posting my first blog! It’s been a crazy season so far, both career-wise and in my personal life. A lot brewing – not quite done yet, but I’m excited! April is a busy month. I have two concerts coming up on the 11th – in the afternoon, one in Pennsylvania with the Concordia Chamber Players: and in the evening, a recital with Anthony Newman. (Click here to learn more of the afternoon)(Click here to learn more of the evening)

Good luck to my boyfriend having to drive me around the tri-state area all day! However, most exciting of all, the next day we are leaving for Prague for a week-long vacation! I have never been to Prague, and I am super stoked! My best friend from high school lives there with her beautiful children and husband, and I can’t wait to catch up with her as well. Come back for loads of pictures and the full scoop of Prague!
At the MET, the season is coming to a close. I have 6 more weeks to go before a whole 3 months off! I think I’ll have time to focus on my electric violin and crossover projects. Speaking of which, does anyone know an abelton player? The technology these days is crazy, and I’m excited to catch up! Anyway, that’s all for now. Pretty good for my first blog ever! Stay happy although today New York is gray and rainy.