Mozart Complete Piano Sonatas Series

Pianist Yoonie Yang, known for her original interpretations and scholarly approach, presents the third recital in her acclaimed Mozart Complete Piano Sonatas series.

Since winning both Second Prize and the Special Prize at the 2016 Salzburg International Mozart Competition, where she was hailed as possessing "ten fingers gifted by God for Mozart," Yang has continued to captivate audiences with her deep insight and vivid interpretations of Mozart’s music.

In this third installment, four works showcasing the multifaceted nature of Mozart will be featured. The program includes the Sonata in F major, K.533/494, blending refined classical structure with delightful personality; the well-loved and widely performed Sonata in C major, K.545; the passionate and dramatic Sonata in C minor, K.457; and its natural counterpart, the freely structured Fantasia in C minor, K.475.
This concert offers a rare opportunity to explore both the surface elegance and emotional depth of Mozart's piano works, promising a performance filled with nuanced expression and classical beauty.

Program

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791)
Piano Sonata No. 15 in F major, K.533/494 (1788)
Piano Sonata No. 16 in C major, K.545 (1788)

– INTERMISSION –

Fantasia in C minor, K.475 (1785)
Piano Sonata No. 14 in C minor, K.457 (1784)

Profile

Pianist Yoonie Yang

Second Prize, 2016 Salzburg International Mozart Competition

“A rare performance of perfection—intensity, depth of feeling, and flawless interpretation of the classics.”
— Drehpunktkultur, Austria

“Ten fingers given by the gods for Mozart.”
— Pianist Fou Ts’ong

Praised as “a mature pianist whose sound shines like magic—noble, captivating, and irresistibly beautiful” (Berliner Morgenpost), pianist Yoonie Yang is noted for her unique ability to shape the intricate fabric of music solely through touch and tone (Gramophone UK), and for delivering “bold, confident, and deeply expressive performances full of passion and elegance” (Piano News, Germany).

A graduate of Seoul Arts High School and Seoul National University, where she studied with Professors Yoon-Joo Oh and Hee-Yeon Choi, Yang was accepted with top honors to the Hochschule für Musik Hanns Eisler Berlin, studying under Professors Michael Endres and Fabio Bidini. She later completed the prestigious Konzertexamen program at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg under Professor Evgeni Koroliov, graduating with highest distinction.

A recipient of multiple scholarships—including a two-year DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) scholarship, as well as support from the Oscar und Vera Ritter Stiftung, Gisela und Erich Andreas Stiftung, and Fundación Albéniz—she was continuously recognized for her academic excellence.

Yang has garnered top prizes at numerous international competitions, including 1st Prize at the International Piano Competitions of Wiesbaden and Hamburg (Elise Meyer Competition), as well as the Verona International Piano Competition. She also earned 2nd Prize at the Giuliano Pecar International Competition and 3rd Prize at the Luciano Gante International Piano Competition. Most notably, in 2016—the 260th anniversary of Mozart’s birth—she was awarded both Second Prize and the Bärenreiter Special Prize for Best Concerto Interpretation at the 12th Salzburg International Mozart Competition.

Selected as “one of the most remarkable pianists of the year” by Young Euro Classic, Germany’s leading music festival, Yang performed a solo recital at the Konzerthaus Berlin. She has also appeared at prestigious festivals including the Santander Festival in Spain and the Montepulciano Festival in Italy, performing as both soloist and chamber musician. She has collaborated with the Salzburg Chamber Soloists, Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, and Vorarlberg Symphony Orchestra, with broadcasts of her performances aired on major European networks such as NDR (Germany), RTBF (Belgium), Yle (Finland), ORF (Austria), and M1 TV (Hungary).

Yang was invited to lecture at the Freie Universität Berlin’s Contemporary Art Series and has served as piano faculty at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg. Since returning to Korea, she was named recipient of the 30th Music Journal Artist of the Year Award (2020), selected as a TLI Art Center Young Artist (2020), and a Lotte Foundation New Artist (2021), giving solo recitals at TLI Art Center and Lotte Concert Hall.

Recently, she has been presenting complete cycles of major piano works at the Seoul Arts Center Recital Hall, including Bach’s Inventions and Sinfonias, Chopin’s Etudes Op.10 and Preludes Op.28, Debussy’s Preludes Book I, and Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons Op.37a, highlighting the composer’s intentions through thoughtful, in-depth interpretation. Her ongoing Mozart Complete Piano Sonatas Series (2024–2026), consisting of four concerts, has drawn praise from both audiences and critics for its clarity, insight, and musical depth.

She currently teaches at Korea National University of Arts, Kyung Hee University, and Yewon School / Seoul Arts High School.

Upcoming Concerts

World-Class Salon – "Mozart Salon"
October 25, 2025 (Sat) 2:00 PM | Salon Kunst

Mozart Complete Piano Sonatas Series IV
May 16, 2026 (Sat) 2:00 PM | Seoul Arts Center, Recital Hall