Violinist Clara-Jumi Kang on Tchaikovsky's 'unplayable' concerto

Kang is thoughtful and softly spoken as she shares what she loves most about Tchaikovsky's one and only violin concerto.

‘It’s my first time here in Tasmania and I’m very much looking forward to playing the wonderful Tchaikovsky violin concerto. It’s a beautiful concerto, it’s one of the most beloved and probably one of the most happy violin concertos,' Clara-Jumi says.

'Tchaikovsky composed it in 1878 by the Geneva Lake in Switzerland and he was on a journey of discovery. In my personal opinion it was probably a happy moment in his life.'

While much loved today, the concerto was initially described as ‘unplayable’ by the violinist who was supposed to perform its premiere. It was eventually performed for the first time in December 1881 in Vienna.

‘Some parts of the concerto get easier with time, with experience, but yes it is very demanding,' Clara-Jumi says.

'But I think this work reminds me so much of Tchaikovsky’s ballets and it’s very uplifting. The spirit of this concerto, if you think of it as ballet music, it makes many things easier and not so demanding.'

Kang is an artist of exceptional talent. She started playing violin at age three and a year later enrolled as the youngest ever student at Germany’s Mannheim Musikhochschule.

She made her debut with Hamburg Symphony at the age of five and, at seven, won a scholarship to New York’s Julliard School of performing arts.

When she performs with the TSO in Hobart's Federation Concert Hall, there will be an extra star element on stage drawing the audience’s attention  - her violin.

Kang is performing on the 1702 'Thunis' Stradivarius, made by Antonio Stradivari, who is widely regarded as the greatest violin maker in history.

The 322-year-old instrument is one of only a handful of surviving violins made by Stradivari, which are still used regularly in performances.

When asked what she loves most about the violin, Kang hugs it lovingly.

‘I think it’s a wonderful instrument. It has a very deep and colourful palette,’ she says, with a look of absolute joy on her face.

Named after Parisian tenor Willy Thunis the 1702 'Thunis' Stradivari was owned in the early 1900s by Jeanette Ysaÿe, the pupil and wife of famous Belgian violinist and composer Eugène Ysaÿe.

South Korean car maker Kia Motors loaned the violin to Kang in 2023.

Limited tickets remain to see Clara-Jumi Kang perform with the TSO on 15 November 2024. The concert, conducted by TSO Chief Conductor and Artistic Director, Eivind Aadland, includes a world-premiere performance of work by up-and-coming Australian composer, Georgia Scott and Dvořák’s seventh symphony. Book now.