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There was an ACC Brunch Concert by Daniel Lindemann Quartet in July. The tickets were sold out immediately after they were released two months ago. It was a fusion jazz concert featuring German-born tv personality and pianist Daniel Lindemann, saxophonist Choi Gyeong-sik, bassist Kim Heon-ho, and drummer Kim Yeong-min. In particular, through his appearance on the JTBC program “Non-Summit,” he became widely known as a broadcaster who approaches us with a calm and logical manner, as well as a deep respect for Korea's history and culture. However, this performance is a time when we truly discover the depth of pianist Daniel Lindemann. In this performance, Daniel Lindemanm presented not only his original compositions that he has been consistently releasing since 2017 but also a variety of songs that he personally arranged, performed together with a band.

On Jul. 25, I personally interviewed Daniel Lindemann right after he finished the rehearsal. In the end, Daniel Lindemann and the other members decided to go improvisationally without monitors, and they finished the rehearsal with big smiles on their faces. Even though the situation could have been tiring and stressful, and the interview could have been uncomfortable, Daniel Lindemann remained polite and actively cooperated. He fluently and elegantly speaks Korean with more finesse and sophistication than the average Korean person. I could sense that he was considerate of the person in front of him, not only through his attitude and content, but also through his communication style, as he fully focused on listening. He is undoubtedly open to the spontaneous moments of conversation, just as he is open to the inner communication obtained through music, which is not visible to the eye. In this interview, we mainly discussed the musical world of Daniel Lindemann, who is both a pianist and a composer.

• How did you start learning the piano and what led you to pursue a career as a pianist and composer?

  I learned to play the recorder from my grandmother when I was around 5 or 6 years old. At that time, my mother, aunt, and uncle all learned musical instruments as a hobby, and we used to play music together as a family. My grandfather was a professional organist, and my late uncle played the piano. I admired my uncle a lot and felt quite envious of him. The reason was that my uncle used to make funny expressions while playing, which would often cause me to laugh and ruin my own recorder performance. I was so envious of being able to make funny expressions or talk while playing music that I asked my mother if I could learn the piano too. That's how I started learning the piano from the age of 10.
  
  After a few years, my teacher, who happened to be the organist for the largest cathedral in our city at the time, suggested that I should learn the organ, just like my grandfather. So I started learning the pipe organ in earnest. Although I had been pursuing it as a hobby for a long time, I missed playing the organ and piano while being involved in broadcasting activities. During that time, I bought a small piano and started playing it at home while listening to music by Yiruma and others. This sparked my desire to create my own music, my own musical expression. In 2016, it was a remarkable year, and I wanted to further develop musically, so I started self-studying jazz from then on. The more I delve into jazz, the more captivated I become by its charm. I think jazz, like contemporary art in a way, becomes more appealing the more you understand it. As a musician, I know that I need to practice a lot, but through practice, I feel myself becoming more free. I think of it as a continuous learning process because I can expand my horizons by exploring the world of harmony and rhythm, among other things, that I was previously unaware of.

• What are the different charms of the piano and pipe organ?

  Although they are both keyboard instruments, they are very different. The pipe organ is often referred to as the “queen of instruments” because it can produce the sound of an entire orchestra with just one instrument. It has a grand and majestic charm. The pipe organ requires multitasking, as you need to play with both hands, feet, and adjust the timbre. Also, when performing a mass, you need to accompany and sing as well. The pipe organ produces sound based on a different principle, so when I press one key and pedal, the same sound continues to be produced. However, the piano, because the hammer strikes the string, has the charm of being able to produce dynamic and delicate sounds, as well as express emotions.

• There are also original compositions included in the pieces to be performed at this concert. If you have any cherished pieces and related anecdotes, please share them with us.

  In this performance, I will introduce my original compositions and also perform popular songs that our team has arranged with our unique touch.
  
  The two songs, my original composition “And She Said Excuse Me” and the arranged version of “A Picture Drawn with Flowers,” are both songs that I hold very dear. “A Picture Drawn with Flowers” is a traditional Korean art song. I personally arranged a jazz version of this song, which was composed by the renowned composer Gum Soo-hyun, known for his composition “The Swing.” It is both an expression of my affection for the country I live in, Korea, and a song that evokes various emotions with its long and serene melody. There is a personal anecdote related to love behind the song “And She Said Excuse Me.” The other person approached me for the first time and said in German, “Excuse me, but could you take a photo for me?” When she approached and spoke to me, that moment felt very special, and the song captures that exact moment.

• Please introduce the musical world you pursue and the artists who have influenced you.

  While currently immersed in jazz, that doesn't mean I only want to do jazz. Currently, I am learning a lot from jazz and enjoying applying what I have learned to different music genres. Personally, I enjoy all types of music, including classical and popular songs. I believe that music itself is diverse and represents a united family, so there is no need to be fixated on genres. Each person finds inspiration and enjoyment in different aspects, and everyone is influenced by a variety of artists. Recently, I have been enjoying artists such as Brad Mehldau, the late Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett, as well as Yiruma, Joe Hisaishi, and Kunihiko Ryo, and have been listening to their music a lot.
  
  There is also a very famous American band called The Piano Guys, who gained popularity on YouTube. They became famous by arranging well-known songs into piano versions. The main members are a pianist and a cellist, and I recently found their performances to be very intriguing.

• You are active in various fields. How is being active as a tv personality different from doing music, and what does music mean to you personally?

  I find being on tv enjoyable in its own way, and I also want to grow in that field. However, the appearance shown on tv has a relatively “image” aspect depending on the producer's planning and editing. However, I believe that music is a way to express oneself through sound, and it allows one to freely show their true self through music. While on tv people may express their personal opinions, it is not solely about expressing one's own self. However, music can show the most honest and truest expression of oneself. Also, the songs we perform often involve improvisation, so each performance is different and fresh every time. While that freedom can be risky, I find it enjoyable precisely because I never know what will happen each time. I personally find it very enjoyable to constantly communicate with fellow musicians and discover an improvisational and free side of myself that I didn't know before. That's why I feel like I want to study more in order to create better music.

• You are steadily working on composing. What is the charm of composing music, different from expressing freedom through performance?

  Composing involves a combination of skill and emotion working hand in hand. I believe that in modern times, whether it is acting, music, or art, all forms of performing arts require both skill and emotion to be companions. I personally have been more inclined towards emotion, but I have felt myself lacking in terms of technical skills and expertise. Now, I have the desire to cultivate technical expertise and merge it with my emotions to create better works. While performances can be unpredictable, and sometimes not as good as expected when your condition is not great, composing allows for a slower, more personal process where you can take your time and work on it at home alone. I am studying string instrument arrangement, and when I incorporate what I have learned into a new composition, it feels as if my own child is being born. I don't have children myself, but I've heard composers with children say that the feeling of releasing a new song is similar to the feeling of giving birth to a baby. Recently, with the advancement of technology, once a recording is released, it doesn't simply disappear. Even if I were to leave this world, my music would still live on as my own story, much like works of art and books.

• Do you have any experience of visiting the city of Gwangju? Please tell me your thoughts on performing at the ACC in Gwangju.

  I have visited Gwangju several times. A few years ago, I had the opportunity to film a documentary related to the history of the May 18 Democratic Uprising in front of the old Jeollanam-do Provincial Office. From the perspective of a German, there is a special affection for Gwangju because it was German journalist Jürgen Hinzpeter who first brought the May 18 Democratic Uprising to the international community through German broadcasting. Being a German, there is a sense of pride, gratitude, and heartfelt sorrow, as various emotions are intertwined. Furthermore, German people often mention the May 18 Democratic Uprising. It seems that there is a shared history between Germany and Korea, which may explain why it is often mentioned. Indeed, East Germany experienced a similar uprising in 1953, and Germany as a whole went through a period of division. This commonality likely creates a sense of empathy and understanding.
  
  The ACC also serves as a space for healing Gwangju's pain through culture and the arts. I have a favorite quote from Victor Hugo when it comes to music. “Music expresses that which cannot be put into words and that which cannot remain silent.” Music, although it cannot be directly expressed in words, may indeed be a means of peace that allows everyone to empathize, share, and connect. I am glad and grateful to have the opportunity to perform at the ACC here in Gwangju. I hope that through this concert, many people can experience joy, happiness, and healing.

• If you have any plans that excite you and bring you joy recently, what would they be?

  I am very excited because I have many performances lined up for this year. There was a recent performance in Seoul called “4 Hands Piano” featuring pianist Cho Yoon-sung and two pianos. We also had a great time and received positive feedback from the audience, so we are preparing for performances in other regions in the autumn as well. There are also various other performances planned. These days, it seems that communicating with people through music is the most thrilling thing. I want to prepare diligently and communicate with the audience.

Since its inception in 2016, ACC Brunch Concert has established itself as one of the representative performance programs at the ACC. The concept is to enjoy a good performance and have brunch. It has established a loyal audience base that prefers annual ticket purchases for high-quality performance programs that otherwise can only be seen in Seoul. In August, there will be “Romantic Violin by Danny Koo,” and in September, “Dancing Bach with Lim Hyun-jung” is scheduled. You can find detailed schedules and information through the ACC website - ACC Brunch Concert.

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