episode_0047

“You seem nervous.”

“Yes. Uh-huh.”

“Don’t be nervous. Let’s start over. Instead of treating it like an exam, let’s approach it as if we’re here to have fun.”

“Yes…!”

Professor Baek Jung-eon was an outstanding educator.

Having watched him since I was young, he felt like a father figure, but once the lesson began, my body naturally recognized him as a teacher.

So, despite being able to somewhat fill the void of a lacking mother’s love from my stepmother, through Professor Baek, I hardly felt my father’s love.

He wasn’t strict.

Rather than being harsh or stern, he was gentle.

At times, he led playfully, almost like a friend.

…Sometimes, he was too lenient, treating me like a drunken uncle who couldn’t hold his liquor.

He was like a father to me, so familiar, but in reality, it wasn’t easy to please him.

Until 2023, Professor Baek typically only took on two students a year.

All of them were pianists whose names I could recognize just by hearing them. Professor Baek’s students always made it to at least 3rd place in international competitions.

Strangely enough, this year he took on three students.

The reason for this unusual decision was that I was under special supervision by Professor Baek.

In other words, the two he truly saw talent in were Song Seong-hyuk and Yoon Ji-chang.

Why Yoon Ji-chang, you might wonder. Well, he’s the son of the violinist Yoon Kwan-cheol, a legend born in Korea.

Moreover, he inherited overwhelming talent from his mother, who had been playing in harmony with Yoon Kwan-cheol since a young age.

Perhaps he’s just forcing Yoon Ji-yu, the disobedient younger brother, to practice with him.

Song Seong-hyuk, who excelled in expressing his innate talent and dominating the stage with his ability to captivate the audience through his open ears and overwhelming listening skills.

Yoon Ji-chang, who could read the atmosphere of the audience and deliver the performance they desired with his embracing ability coming from his exceptional listening skills.

Between those two, Jung Si-woo was awkwardly inserted as Professor Baek’s pseudo-son(?).

But even that wasn’t enough, now he’s trying to recruit Min Chae-won.

It’s clear that Professor Baek was distracted by the familiar scent of Jung Si-woo from La Campanella.

After teaching for 14 years, he was still looking for a way to break through the massive barrier that was Si-woo, who remained unchanged.

“I don’t want to play?”

“If you don’t practice separately… it might be difficult….”

“Oh. Really?”

Yoon Ji-yu pouted as if she was disappointed, bringing her index finger to her lips and lowering her eyes.

It seems like the melancholic Yoo Ji-yu, who had deceived countless men, had appeared.

“You’re hesitant? It’s okay if you’re not perfect. Can you show me once?”

“Oh… I came here to accompany today….”

“Accompanying is one thing, but I wanted to hear your performance before that. Right? Can you play it once for me? I might become your fan.”

What should I do?

Yoon Ji-yu seemed determined to make me play Etude No. 6.

Should I escape from here, maintaining the concept of being timid?

No. Even if I dodge Professor Baek Jung-eon today, I will inevitably get entangled with him again. At least until I get revenge on Yoon Ji-yu and cut ties with her.

“Should I try to get along with her while buying time…?”

But I’m worried about Si-woo.

Our professor isn’t the type to incite competition by comparing students in front of them, but the other professors who roam around him are the problem.

Who is that girl? A new student?

Did the original students not please him?

Do you think we won’t be able to handle all four of them?

Well, then some of them will drop out.

“In reality, the chances of Yoon Jichang dropping out on his own are high, but…”

Jung Siwoo couldn’t just sit still after hearing that.

He claimed that the seat of the master was his, and he even tried to step back on his own.

That just won’t do.

My confidence from three years ago crumbles at the slightest touch.

“I should probably mention that I already have a master and I am currently studying under them.”

Would that make him step back?

No matter how greedy our professor may be, he wouldn’t take away someone who already has a master.

Well, whether that’s true or not.

Who should we blame?

Should we blame his mother after all?

“No, Margaret Hebler won’t do.”

I don’t know why you’re forgetting, but if she finds out I’m Margaret’s daughter, she might come and try to persuade her.

Saying she’ll make her the world’s best pianist. She might ask for trust.

I don’t know how close the two of you are. But since you personally raised Song Seonghyuk and handed him over to Professor Baek Jung-eon, there’s a chance that I, who stays in Korea, will naturally become a disciple of Professor Baek Jung-eon.

Who should we name and accuse?

Should we just mention it without revealing who it is?

Then we can buy some time.

Okay, let’s delay it until the competition. There’s no point in confirming it and giving the professor a chance.

“I guess I have to play it.”

“Umm… I’ll try…”

“Oh really? Of course, it’s Chaewon. I knew you would listen!”

“Hehe…”

With a shy expression, she scratched her cheek and slowly turned the music sheet.

Paganini/Liszt Etude No. 6.

The three-way showdown of the piano world.

A notorious piece filled with extreme techniques.

Paganini, the virtuoso of the violin, and Liszt, the virtuoso of the piano. If you compare it to a rhythm game, it can be seen as a boss level.

“Can Chaewon handle this…?”

The professor probably expects me to play in Siwoo’s style.

What you saw in the video was La Campanella in Siwoo’s style, around 0.9x speed.

So, let’s do our best to imitate Siwoo for now.

It doesn’t matter if a bit of Chaewon’s color shows.

Chaewon is a classical performer and has no intention of going out into the world.

When Siwoo shows it to the professor, even if he denies that it’s your color and insists it’s Chaewon’s color, it means he can argue.

Because Siwoo and Chaewon are ultimately going to be on the same boat.

The phenomenon of playing like your loved one is similar to imitating the personality and behavior as a relationship deepens, isn’t it?

“Phew…”

I casually flipped through the music sheet while buying some time.

I wanted to become Korea’s Liszt, not me. I remember not only the teacher’s piece but also the colors of various performers.

I turn on the metronome in my head.

Quasi Presto. Play as close to Presto as possible.

Presto is between 168 and 200 bpm, so try to maintain around 168 bpm as much as possible, but don’t go below 168 bpm to keep the tension.

My usual playing speed was around 184 bpm.

To follow the instructions, I have to maintain at least 168 bpm…

“I can’t finish it at 0.913x speed.”

Even when I played La Campanella at 0.9x speed, I stumbled at the cadenza. And Etude No. 6 is a more physically demanding piece than that.

Since it’s Chaewon’s body, if I play in Siwoo’s style, I’ll probably give up at the coda. No, I might give up at Variation 9.

It’s a piece that goes from Variation 1 to 11, and then the final coda part, and I might end up skipping three parts.

“…I don’t really need to finish it.”

I found myself unconsciously adopting the posture of a student taking an exam. But do I really need to complete it to receive a good evaluation?

Yes, it’s better to appear disinterested to push away the professor’s attention. When the performance stops, that’s when the real effect will come.

Whether it was the last La Campanella or this Etude No. 6, not completing a single one. It shows a weak-willed appearance.

“To 100%.”

If the 999th performance is not completed, it will be considered a sin. But it can’t be helped. Jiyoung can’t have two professors as his disciples. Today, I will push forward the Jiyoung who pursues perfection.

“Well… then I’ll give it a try.”

“You’ve already seen it all?”

“Yes. Yes. It’s a piece I know how to play…”

“What? Were you just exaggerating earlier? You knew the accompaniment piece before? That’s why it was so fast.”

“That, that was really the first time. I just tried it…!”

“Hmm. Well, okay. Our Chaewon wouldn’t lie to me.”

Who is our Chaewon?

Yun Jiyu declared, tapping the grand piano cover.

“Alright, show me!”

It starts with a compressed form of arpeggio with both hands.

Since it’s a long form that goes beyond the basic 10 degrees, it requires quick agility and precise landing of the flying hands.

I will approach it with 100%. Without any restraint, I must go straight ahead, like a roller coaster accelerating vertically.

My hands are smaller compared to Siwoo’s. I have to reach further. I have to jump with all my might to reach it.

-♪

Clang!

I was startled and stopped playing, noticing that a panel in the back of the audience had fallen over. My eyes quickly scanned the entire audience to find the professor.

“That’s enough.”

A dignified voice suddenly came from behind.

I was so surprised that I unintentionally let out a scream like a girl.

“Eek!”

The professor’s expression seemed somewhat annoyed.

And Yun Jiyu smoothly inserted herself between me and the professor.

“Oh, professor, when did you arrive?”

“Come with me, Yun Jiyu. I have something to discuss with this child.”

What’s going on? How did things turn out like this?