Paik Kun-woo, at 80, says 'Music chose me'

At 80, celebrated Korean pianist Paik Kun-woo says he feels freer than ever. "Reflecting on my past, I was under a lot of stress to perform and always offer something new, just like any other pianist. But now that I am 80, I feel all that is left for me is to enjoy music," Paik said at a press conference in Seoul on Monday. "From now on, I want to play freely. That is where my mind is right now," he said. Last week, Paik released a recording of Franz Schubert's Piano Sonatas Nos. 13, 14, 18 and 20 through Universal Music. To mark the release, he will embark on a nationwide recital tour next month. Expressing his admiration for the Austrian composer, Paik said he deeply connects with the famous saying that if one falls asleep while listening to Schubert, they will still wake up in heaven. "I am sometimes truly curious whether his music comes from heaven. Unlike some music where you can sense the human effort behind it, Schubert's seems to flow naturally, as if it were not made by human hands," he explained. Despite his deep admiration, Paik stressed that it was the music that chose him, not

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