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Crescendo
Ignace "Iggy" Jang
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Ahn sisters have more than beauty
Let me first get this off my chest: The Ahn sisters are hot! I know this column is about musical enlightenment, but I can't help noticing. There's no denying it, and what you'll see is what you'll get when the Ahn Trio debuts with the Honolulu Symphony this weekend: three beautiful and talented women capturing audiences of all ages with their creative blend of music.
The Ahn Trio
Performing with the Honolulu Symphony Orchestra
In concert: 8 p.m. Friday, 4 p.m. Sunday
Place: Blaisdell Concert Hall
Tickets: $22 to $73
Call: 792-2000 or Ticketmaster, 877-750-4400
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All three were born with musically enhanced genes. All three started playing the piano early on, but when Lucia proved to be the most adept, Angela moved to the violin and Maria to the cello, with equal success.
The sisters left their native Korea in 1981 to attend the Juilliard School in New York. Since then it has been praises after praises, stages after stages and magazines after magazines. In 2003 the Ahns were listed in People magazine's "Most Beautiful" issue. Though they haven't been included since, there is high hope for justice to be restored soon.
How much should appearance matter in music? The greatest violinist of all time, Niccolo Paganini of the 19th century, was a pretty scary-looking man, yet his artistic command drew as much fascination as any revered idol could. And Yo-Yo Ma, today's incomparable cellist -- would he score high on a dating show? Perhaps not, but who am I to say?
Looks play such a major part in our lives. Just about anything is being made over on TV these days. What we wear, what we live in, what we drive -- even what body we were born with. And for what purpose? So we can feel the warmth of a touch? Expand our palate? Hear tree leaves rustle a mile away? I think not.
Luckily, the Ahns are not just glamour and glitter, but have a clear artistic vision. At Juilliard the group found the ideal musical complement in Kenji Bunch, a young and hip, up-and-coming composer. Bunch's "Hardware Concerto" offers flavors or pop, jazz, rock, Broadway and more, reminiscent of Leonard Bernstein mixing it up in "West Side Story." The result is music that is catchy, upbeat, fun and driving, just like the personalities of the Ahn Trio.
No less beautiful, conductor Samuel Wong makes his return as conductor laureate, closing the festive evening with Dvorak's Symphony No. 6, a true romantic work dated 1880.
The Czech composer's smooth melodic lines will sweep you off your feet, while the closing movements will invigorate audiences with a "furiant," a fiery Bohemian folk dance, and powerful finale.
While on the subject of physical appearance ... two years ago, the musicians took part in a nationwide search conducted by a cable TV makeover show. Pictures were taken and submitted to the fashion consultants.
None of us made it to the finals. Apparently, we were already too good-looking. Either that or hopeless!
Ignace "Iggy" Jang is the Honolulu Symphony's concertmaster. His column will appear on the Monday prior to each concert of the season to illuminate works to be performed. E-mail comments and questions to Jang at
suggestions@honolulusymphony.com