Volume 4 / Chapter 144
TL: LightNovelCafe
[TN: Hey guys – enjoy!]
The plane to Salzburg, Mozart’s city, was noisy like a college dormitory. It is a chartered plane where they did not have to be careful of other passengers.
The conservatory deans were pleased with the results from support that were beyond their expectations. One party attendant in particular delightfully lent his private plane to them.
“Laura’s song must have been really great. This kind of situation is a first.”
“I’ll say. I heard that President Stern gave a check for $500,000 at the party as well.”
“Is he thinking of scouting Laura? He might be since he’s lending out his private plane like this.”
The professors seemed to be excited by the results beyond their expectations and the overwhelming interest in Laura.
“Of course he’ll scout her. He’ll keep an eye on this Salzburg performance. If he confirms that she can overcome the pressure of the stage, he’ll hand over a contract right away.”
“Stern Corporation is really quick with discovering rookies. Well… I’m sure that’s why a third of classical greats use it as their management.”
Jun Hyuk heard what the professors were saying in passing and did not think the name Stern strange, but he did not remember who it was.
Due to the private plane, they arrived in Salzburg without stopping in Vienna. Jun Hyuk went to the hotel he had reserved on the day that he decided to participate in the conductor auditions. The school reserved a hotel for the students, but Jun Hyuk wanted to stay on Getreidegasse street where Mozart’s footprints lay.
Goldener Hirsch Hotel was built as a motel in the 15th century. It has been preserved well for about 600 years. It was reborn as a hotel through much remodeling, and it is still one of the most beloved hotels in Salzburg.
Jun Hyuk organized his luggage in the hotel and went out onto Getreidegasse street to enjoy the free time he was given until the next day.
The street was full of tourists because of the summer festival, but the Mozart goods outnumbering those tourists caught his eye more. Chocolate was a definite, but there were even irrelevant items like empty water bottles with Mozart’s portrait on them.
The first place that Jun Hyuk headed is Mozart’s birthplace.
Mozart’s long baptismal name ‘Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart’ on it was impressive. Amadeus amadera means ‘God loves’ in French. It is said that Mozart stuck it on himself.
Countless items from Mozart’s childhood are on display in his birthplace on Getreidegasse street. Among them are even Mozart’s first clavichord (antecedent to the piano) and violin.
However, Jun Hyuk did not see the handwritten scores that he had so wanted to see anywhere. He asked the museum curator where he needs to go in order to see the handwritten scores.
The curator smiled brightly and started explaining amicably in fluent English.
“First, go to the airport. At the airport, you get a ticket to London, Paris, or New York. You can see them if you go to London’s British Museum, Paris’ Louvre, or New York’s Metropolitan Museum.”
“Excuse me? Then you’re saying that they’re not here right now?”
“We do have a few scores from his childhood, but they have not been conserved very well so they are being restored. It has been a few years.”
Jun Hyuk frowned.
‘Damn….. I was fooled.’
***
They did not stop practicing in Salzburg either. The scale is a lot larger because they were joined by the Mozarteum students and Professor Roger Neill’s final inspections would go on until the day before the performance.
About a week after arriving in Salzburg, Danny came to the hotel.
“Jun!”
As soon as Danny found Jun Hyuk, he leapt and hugged Jun Hyuk to start dancing.
“You saw, right? I got in 3rd place. It’s all thanks to you. It’s a debt I can never repay. Thank you.”
“Congratulations. All 6 runner-ups are at similar levels. The condition of that day is the problem. You did well.”
“Oh right. You got Amelia’s text?”
“Yeah. She said she’s stopping in Prague for a performance before coming here.”
Danny shook his head.
“I’m worried about you. Even for a South American girl, I’ve never seen such a fiery person like her. Her manager fit in another performance per a sponsor’s request… There’s no Queen of the Night like her. She made a huge fuss that she needs to get to Salzburg immediately….. What are you going to do?”
Danny’s tone was of serious worry, not in jest.
“She’s a tame cat in front of me. She’s only a tiger in front of others.”
“Really?”
Danny stared at Jun Hyuk in disbelief and Jun Hyuk’s face turned red.
“Let’s just say that’s true. Whew.”
Danny pat Jun Hyuk on the shoulder as he let out a long sigh.
“Right. What’s your itinerary like?”
The European tour for the over 20 runner-ups for each part in the competition needs to be over for them to return to America.
“I need to perform 3 times while here for the festival, and then I have to go to Vienna. After that, it’s all over once we tour Eastern Europe until August. How about you?”
“It’s over once we perform in 10 days.”
“Then I guess you’ll join us after that.”
“I won’t be able to not go, will I?”
Danny smirked. Jun Hyuk will also know well that he has no choice but to go. Danny pat Jun Hyuk’s shoulder again.
Danny went back to the dormitories for the runner-ups, and Jun Hyuk went to a cafe. It is a place called ‘Tomaselli’ that has been in business since the 1700s. It is said that Mozart also enjoyed going here, but Jun Hyuk did not believe these rumors anymore. All of the stores on Getreidegasse street say that Mozart was a regular there.
“Jang Jun Hyuk!”
He was walking along the street when he was certain that he had heard his name in Korean. He turned and someone ran into his arms.
“Professor. I… Hang on.”
Jun Hyuk managed to pry Professor Jeon Hye Jin off of his body.
“This punk. You should have called. What are you so busy with?”
“Ah, I’m sorry. The thing is…..”
“Forget it. That’s that, but what are you doing here? Are you here to perform?”
Professor Jeon Hye Jin was genuinely pleased with this unexpected encounter and could not stop smiling.
“Yes. It’s for a program called New York conservatory weekly. But why are you here, Professor?”
“Kid. I’m a known pianist of Korea. I’m invited every year. You underestimate me.”
“Oh of course not. It’s just so sudden.”
Professor Jeon Hye Jin took the hand of a tall girl standing next to her and brought her close.
“Oh right. Say hi. This is my student. Ah, she’s also performing this time.”
“Hello. I’m Han Ye Ji.”
“Ah, hello. I’m Jang Jun Hyuk.”
“This kid is a rising pianist in Korea right now. She won in the Spain Maria Canals Competition. She was really close in the Tchaikovsky Competition too. She’s a 6th place runner-up.”
“Ah I see. Congratulations.”
When Jun Hyuk greeted her, Han Ye Ji hid her surprise and held her hand out for a handshake.
“Thank you. But I had no idea that you would be that Jang Jun Hyuk. I just realized.”
Han Ye Ji’s eyes grew larger from the first time she saw Jun Hyuk in surprise.
“Excuse me?”
“I didn’t think that you would be that Jang Jun Hyuk who appeared on that audition program. And… this is actually the 2nd time we’re meeting, but I guess you don’t remember?”
It is the first time Jun Hyuk is seeing her face no matter how he tries to rack through his memory. He is certain that he has never met a young Korean pianist.
Suddenly, Professor Jeon Hye Jin clapped her hand.
“I see. It’s the 2nd time. Ha ha. What fate!”
Jun Hyuk did not know what they were talking about, and just looked back and forth at their faces.
“Jun Hyuk. Do you remember? The first day I met you?”
“Of course I remember it.”
“Then do you remember that a student pointed out the specialty in your piano playing at once?”
“Yes. I remember. She said that it was as if several people were playing instead of one. I was surprised too. Is this…..?”
“Yeah. Ye Ji was that student. I started teaching her properly from then. I basically found a hidden pearl thanks to you.”