Memory suite

In the Small Hall

Performer BORIM KANG (piano, South Korea)

Program: JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH – French Suite No. 5 in G major, BWV 816 VYTAUTAS BACEVIČIUS – Meditation, Op. 29 CLARA SCHUMANN – Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann, Op. 20 MAURICE RAVEL – “Le tombeau de Couperin”, M. 68

We present the 4th prize winner of the 2025 International Vytautas Bacevičius Piano Competition – a rising piano star from South Korea, BORIM KANG. Known for her exceptional talent and dedication to classical music, the pianist has gained recognition through performances and participation in competitions on both national and international stages. Her latest program, inspired by her time spent in Lithuania, combines the works of Vytautas Bacevičius with masterpieces of European piano music from different eras, exploring themes of memory, respect, and musical legacy.

B. Kang’s musical journey began in childhood. In 2024, her path led her to Lithuania, where she participated in an exchange program at the Vytautas Magnus University Music Academy. The pianist’s most notable achievements in recent years include performances with the Interstellar Orchestra, winning the Grand Prix at the 7th International Premio Scarlatti Competition, first prizes at the 32nd Segye Ilbo and 45th Haneum music competitions, and winning 4th place at the 2025 International Vytautas Bacevičius Piano Competition.

“When I first arrived in Kaunas, at the Vytautas Magnus University Music Academy, in 2024 as an exchange student, the warmth of the teachers and friends I met became a precious source of inspiration in my life. Guided by these memories, I dedicated all my passion to the 2025 International Vytautas Bacevičius Piano Competition, and I am sincerely grateful for the opportunity to perform once again on the stage of the Kaunas State Philharmonic. It means so much to me to return and perform in the place that bears witness to my musical growth. Therefore, I came up with a title for my program – ‘Suite of Remembrance.’ It contains not only my emotional connection to the city and the people I met there, but the title also gives meaning to the fragments of memory left behind by composers of different eras. This is how the program came to include a Baroque dance suite created by Johann Sebastian Bach, the meditative focus and sound cosmos of V. Bacevičius, the variations by Clara Schumann which she lovingly created for her husband Robert, and Maurice Ravel’s sign of respect – a memory of friends lost in war blossoming in melodies. Each of these works carries within it the power to keep a person or an era alive in our hearts. In the same way, I strive to weave into my performance the precious moments I spent in Lithuania. This program is part of the project ‘The Era and Echoes of Vytautas Bacevičius,’ and I began composing its program starting with V. Bacevičius, in whom the totality of different eras, styles, and musical ideas resides. I sincerely hope that the ‘Suite of Remembrance’ that I present to you today will remain in your hearts as a warm and pleasant memory,” shares the young pianist B. Kang regarding her upcoming recital.