Volume 5 / Chapter 178
TL: LightNovelCafe
[JH has something up his sleeve…]
Rondo is a form of music with a recurring leading theme. It is also simply known as Turkish March. She did not play it in Mozart’s original version, but flavored it with her own arrangement.
Han Ye Ji used all 88 keys and showed most of the techniques she knows within 2 minutes and 30 seconds. They could tell that she had arranged it in order to show as much of her ability as she could. She showed them the explosive openness that Professor Jeon Hye Jin first showed Jun Hyuk and her own subtlety.
She was using all of her power, so much so that they could see the movement of her muscles from the sleeves she had pulled up. Her face was flushed because she had used all of her strength. Her face reddened even more at the sound of the 4 people clapping.
“Jun Hyuk. What do you think? She’s pretty good, right?”
When Professor Jeon Hye Jin was looking at Jun Hyuk, the pride of her student was evident.
“She’s not just pretty good. How did she come in 6th at the competition? She could win and then some.”
Jun Hyuk’s eyes showed that his compliments to Professor Jeon are sincere.
“This kid! Your girlfriend made such a scene right before Ye Ji that she was overshadowed.”
To Ye Ji, it was the greatest praise that Jun Hyuk was in such admiration that he had even forgotten that Amelia won.
“No, Professor. I’m grateful for even coming in 6th.”
Han Ye Ji was modest but Yoon Kwang Hun did not miss the chance to compliment her.
“No, there’s a shortcoming in the assessment. That’s really impressive.”
Yoon Kwang Hun even thought that Han Ye Ji’s piano would soon surpass that of her mentor’s.
“Tchaikovsky was the 2nd competition? It’s a lack of experience. You can reach for the win at the next competition.”
Yoon Kwang Hun kept praising her. Hwang Suk Min had a good idea while listening to her play, and clapped his hands together.
“I have a good idea. What do you think about this?”
Everyone focused on Hwang Suk Min.
“What about holding a performance the day before Jun Hyuk leaves?”
“Excuse me? A performance?”
Everyone’s eyes widened at the mention of a performance.
“Yeah. Jun Hyuk can conduct for our Fine Philharmonic.”
“Teacher Hwang, you’re too ambitious. You think Jun Hyuk will be satisfied with Fine Philharmonic after conducting for Boston?”
“Don’t be too mean. It is a bit of a poor instrument, but I’m telling you we can perform Beethoven really well.”
Since Fine Philharmonic normally performs music that the average person enjoys, they receive pretty high reviews for Beethoven, Mozart, and Tchaikovsky.
“I don’t think it would be a bad performance if Ye Ji plays the piano for us.”
As soon as the piano and Beethoven were linked, Professor Jeon could figure out what performance Hwang Suk Min had in mind.
“Teacher Hwang. Are you saying we should perform Beethoven’s ‘Emperor’?
“Yes. Don’t you think it’d be perfect? Since the orchestra can’t match up to Jun Hyuk, Ye Ji can cover on the piano.”
“But why the day before he leaves?”
“If there are articles criticizing it, it won’t matter. So Jun Hyuk won’t be bothered.”
If Jun Hyuk had heard this suggestion before, he would have refused it. But after hearing Han Ye Ji’s piano, it is a very slightly attractive offer. He wants to see more of Han Ye Ji’s piano than conduct the Fine Philharmonic.
“What do you think? Jun Hyuk, the calligraphy doesn’t cover the brush. And it’ll become a memory.”
“Teacher Hwang, you’ll have some damage. Is that okay?”
Professor Jeon’s worry was comparing Jun Hyuk and Hwang Suk Min. If Jun Hyuk conducts, the orchestra members would be the first to compare the two.
“Well what of it? It’s something everyone knows. And it’s a process without any type of recording. Only the people who come to the performance will see it.”
“Ho ho. Anyway, we have to recognize that you’re wry.”
If there are no recordings, Jun Hyuk’s music disappears in the concert hall. Anyone who does not want to miss it needs to watch. Even those who try their hardest to ignore Jun Hyuk will come looking for the performance out of sheer curiosity.
Hwang Suk Min spoke again to prevent any misunderstandings there might be.
“Won’t it also look good if we donate all of the proceeds to a charity under Jun Hyuk and Ye Ji’s names?”
The person who embraced Hwang Suk Min’s idea was Yoon Kwang Hun. He has not yet seen Jun Hyuk conduct an orchestra. He wanted Jun Hyuk to accept Hwang Suk Min’s proposal just so he could watch Jun Hyuk conduct in person.
However, Jun Hyuk could not respond to this sudden proposal.
“There’s no pressure, so just think about it. Call me if it gets boring to just eat, sleep, and hang out. Ha ha.”
A meeting that had gathered just to see faces ended with a performance proposal. When the 3 people left, Yoon Kwang Hun tried to find out how Jun Hyuk is feeling.
“Jun Hyuk. What do you think about Teacher Hwang’s proposal?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t even decided when I’ll be leaving… It’s ambiguous.”
“Yeah. Didn’t Teacher Hwang say it before? Call him if you get bored. For now, rest more.”
However, not even a day passed before he could tell how Jun Hyuk is feeling. He was humming the melody to piano concerto Emperor.
There were occasionally fun times when people rooting for Jun Hyuk would come by for a cup of tea or a drink, but Jun Hyuk was still just hanging out.
In that time, Lawyer Lim So Mi sent over the contract with Stern Corporation.
“Commission is 15%. The other conditions are unconventional. First, President Stern has an apartment in New York that he will allow Jun Hyuk to use, and everything else is the same as the conditions that the maestro of the New York Philharmonic has. As you know, he can terminate the contract at any time, so it’s a bit much to nitpick over more.”
“I understand. I’ll talk it over with Jun Hyuk and call you right away.”
The standing conductor of the New York Philharmonic receives the best treatment from Stern Corporation. As Lawyer Lim So Mi said, asking for anything more is too greedy.
Jun Hyuk signed the contract with Stern Corporation without disagreement, and everything started changing little by little.
He had been spending half of his days rolling around in bed, but was now sitting in front of his desk from early in the morning until dawn. The scores accumulated as much as he spent the time, and he occasionally sat at the piano to knock on the keys.
“Are you writing a new song? What is it this time?”
“I’ll tell you when it’s all done. This time, it really feels good.”
“What? It must be no joke if it’s enough for you to say that you have a good feeling.”
Yoon Kwang Hun’s heart beat with anticipation because this is the first time he is seeing Jun Hyuk so full of confidence.
“Ah. It lacks too much to be called a masterpiece, but it’s really fun to make. It’s to the point where I don’t know why I didn’t think of it before. He he.”
Yoon Kwang Hun could not hold back his curiosity and tried to take a peek at the score, but Jun Hyuk freaked out and hid it.
“Ugh. Stop it. I said I’d show it to you when it’s done.”
“Hey! Why are you hiding it when I’ll see it anyway?”
“I told you this is fun. Have patience for that fun.”
Yoon Kwang Hun needed to say what he had been holding back while watching Jun Hyuk write songs.
“But Jun Hyuk.”
“Yes.”
“When are you thinking of doing the performance that Teacher Hwang proposed?”
“Oh that? I wasn’t going to do it.”
Jun Hyuk was surprised when he saw Yoon Kwang Hun’s disappointment.
“Were you looking forward to a performance?”
“Oh, it’s not that… I was just wondering when the people who helped you would get to see you conduct if not for this opportunity. And I thought you were thinking of doing it because I heard you humming the melody for Emperor.”
“He he. I actually got a hint from Emperor and Han Ye Ji’s piano.”
“Hint? The song you’re working on now?”
Yoon Kwang Hun could guess that Jun Hyuk is working on a piano concerto or piano sonata.
“Yes. I told you it’ll be fun.”
But he still could not tell what would be so fun.
“Then what about the concert?”
Yoon Kwang Hun did not fold his expectations yet. It is also because there is someone he wants to watch Jun Hyuk’s conducting with.
“I’ll finish up the song I’m working on now, and then think about it.”
Even after saying that he would finish it and think about it, another month passed by.