Chapter 2: Bit by bit 6
A relaxed afternoon.
Within the room filled with the aroma of coffees, there were 20 or so opera teachers of freshmen.
Twenty.
Considering that there were twenty students in the opera department, it was quite an interesting number. Slowly raising the cup of coffee, Ku Mingi slowly observed his surroundings.
Famous sopranos, tenors, baritones, mezzo-sopranos… the small room had gathered the best opera singers of the country.
The 1:1 differentiated lessons that Future Performing Arts High School was proud of. This was the result of trying to realise that fame, which had thus gathered the best group of educators. Facing all these intimidating teachers that didn’t allow others to look down on them, Ku Mingi gave out the usual pleasantries.
Thanks for taking care of the school affairs for the week after admission, and thanks for the great work etc.
After all of that had been done with, the meeting slowly proceeded.
“Now, should we talk about next concours?”
Concour. Hearing that word made the gazes within the teachers’ eyes to change.
“First off there’s the [Korean National Music Concour] that’ll be held quite early. When was the application period until?”
The teacher sitting nearby quickly continued from there.
“18th of March. Around 2 weeks from now.”
“Have you asked the opera students whether they’ll be participating or not?”
“We have received the list from the homeroom teachers.”
“What about other concours?”
“We have finished asking for their applications for the important concours – the Spring and Autumn Concour and the Future Central Concour. We have printed it out already.”
Receiving the list of participants, Ku Mingi glanced across it and gave a nod.
A long list of students as well as a table for the concours next to them. The ticks next to the names showed what kind of concours they would be participating in.
At least two and sometimes three or four ticks were there. While he had been going through the packed list of ticks, a strange blank space suddenly entered his eyes. Those were clean without a single blemish.
Jo Yunjae.
Glancing at that name, Ku Mingi asked with a confused tone.
“Jo Yunjae? Why did this student not apply for anything?”
A teacher nearby shrugged his shoulders.
“Not sure. I found it weird as well and asked several times but he said he’s definitely not participating.”
“Huh…”
“Not applying for anything?”
Murmurs spread across the staff.
“Not attending any concours? Don’t we fund for them if they need it?”
“I said we could pay for it but he still said no.”
“Haah…”
Ku Mingi thought while tapping on the desk.
Concour.
A place where executants would gather to compete with their skills, and one of the few stages where students were allowed on. While normal students entered university with their scores and exams, performing arts students entered universities with concour awards and interviews.
Therefore, concours were naturally packed with competitiveness with everyone striving to attend.
‘And yet none…’
What was the reason – did he have no confidence? Or…
Was this kind of stage not enough for him
Ku Mingi was once again interested in this student. After touching the name Jo Yunjae with his fingers several times, he concluded the talk.
“Jo Yunjae… Well it’s his decision. Perhaps he’s thinking of entering from next semester.”
“Hmph.”
A teacher sitting in the corner gave a scoff as if he found it not to his liking.
It was a teacher with a bandit-like and mean face, Kwak Jungsoo. He was a tenor that had started off from this year. Thinking of these Ku Mingi observed him with interest.
“Ha! Students should be trying to gain at least one more stage experience, and yet he is scared. Not even planning to go out to a concour? How could someone like this sing?”
Soprano Hong Yoojin that had been sitting next to him calmed him with a tap.
“Ay Jo Yunjae. To be honest, it’s indeed hard to receive an award with his skills. It’s at least better than attending and ruining the school’s reputation. Good at reading the situation at least.”
“But young ones should at least have some ambition…”
After murmuring, he took out a snack and bit on it while Ku Mingi slightly changed the course of the conversation.
“In any case, we should be able to expect lots from this concour. Kim Wuju and Lee Suh-ah… First place in male and female opera is pretty much a given.”
“Yeah. It really is no joke from what I saw during the lessons.”
After some friendly conversations on the future possibilities,
A sensitive topic was brought up.
“Oh yeah did Lee Suh-ah and Kim Wuju already choose their Specialist Prac teachers?”
As soon as those words ended, a fierce glaring showdown started between the teachers.
Lee Suh-ah and Kim Wuju.
The geniuses that had been famous ever since their middle-school days. When students reached this level, it was the students choosing teachers not the other way around. It was because being the teacher of a student that will definitely be successful was like having their own fame promised.
The greedy teachers tried to egg others out.
“I don’t know. I don’t think they’ve registered yet.”
“I wonder if someone has already promised them…”
Hong Yoojin replied with a smile.
“Suh-ah decided to do it with me. We have some connection since middle-school days.”
“Ah…”
It was evident that the female staffs had become depressed.
Lee Suh-ah already had been picked.
Then Kim Wuju…
The male teachers all stared at Ku Mingi who had the best career within the male staff members.
“Don’t tell me you’ve gotten in contact already during your Concerted Music lessons?”
“Let’s not play that cheap right?”
As if enjoying those eyes filled with caution, Ku Mingi sipped his coffee before opening his mouth.
“I’m sorry but I’ve already talked about it.”
“This…!”
“Not to Kim Wuju but to another guy.”
“Sorry?”
A little uproar was created.
“You’re teaching someone other than Kim Wuju?”
“Was there someone like that from the boys?”
“Jun Shihyuk is quite good but… not as much as Kim Wuju.”
The names of male opera students came one after another. Jun Shihyuk, Kim Dongsik, Noh Jusup… slightly enjoying at that name that was never mentioned.
Ku Mingi made a smile.
“There’s someone with a timbre I quite liked, you see. Jo Yunjae. I wanted to teach him.”
The teachers all made dumbfounded expressions.
“Jo Yunjae? That last place guy?”
“There wasn’t much to his timbre either…”
“You passed Kim Wuju and picked him?”
“He was indeed quite skilled at SRMD.”
In response to the last sentence, the teachers’ eyes all gathered towards Kim Chulsoo, the teacher in charge of SRMD. Startled by the falling gazes, he quickly opened his mouth.
“Uh… from what I saw from the test results, sight-reading was pretty much full marks with music dictation at full marks. When I actually taught him there wasn’t much for me to teach. He was well over university level.”
Good at SRMD?
The teachers had strange expressions on and all shook their heads.
“Even then, it’s just SRMD.”
“There’s no real connection with singing.”
“Teacher Ku Mingi is quite odd at times.”
Tap tap.
Ku Mingi concluded while tapping the table.
“Now, let’s leave Kim Wuju’s case to himself and let us just focus on our task. I’m sorry for getting in contact with Jo Yunjae beforehand.”
“Ay, there would’ve been no-one who wanted to be in charge of him so we are thankful rather.”
He made a lazy smile.
“Well, who knows, if the previous last student could come first?”
“What?”
“Wouldn’t that be exciting then?”
Silence.
From amongst the teachers that had been digesting Ku Mingi’s words, a teacher quietly opened his mouth.
“But…”
Kwak Jungsoo who had become the centre of the gazes made a bitter expression. Scratching his hair that appeared like a bird’s nest, he opened his mouth.
“Jo Yunjae, he said he wanted me to be his Specialist Prac teacher?”
“…?”
A final announcement was made to the astonished teachers.
“So I agreed to it yesterday.”
“…What?”
*
While everyone was in shock due to the Improvement Concert timetables,
“You guys have time right now right? Let’s gather for a bit.”
Lee Suh-ah who started off like that gathered us and brought us to a practice room. We had no idea and just followed her like toddlers. In front of us, she stood upright with her hands on her waist. It appeared quite brave.
After glancing at us like a general, she opened her mouth.
“We have received the Improvement Concert timetables today and I need to perform immediately after 2 weeks. After that, there’s Korean National Concour and pracs… there won’t be much time for us to gather.”
“Uh… really?”
Glaring at Noh Jusup who made a dumb sound, Lee Suh-ah continued.
“So let’s quickly decide on the song and practise on our own. I go back to my place during the weekends so I have no time to meet you guys. Aren’t you guys going back as well?”
“I’m going too.”
“Me too…”
Noh Jusup and Han Dasom raised their hands.
What, so it’s just me leaving behind at school? I shrugged my shoulders at the three looking at me. We were allowed to sleep outside during the weekends but I had no time to go outside – I had to practise.
Lee Suh-ah gave a nod before quickly throwing her words out.
“In any case, let’s decide on the song first. Do you guys have anything in mind?”
“No?”
“…”
Seeing the two of them who shook their heads at the same time, Lee Suh-ah gave a deep sigh. What were you expecting from Noh Jusup… Stepping on the foot of Noh Jusup who had been grinning, Lee Suh-ah suggested.
“Firstly, I think Haydn’s The Creation no 4 is good. What do you think?”
Haydn, The Creation Part 1, no 4.
Going through the scores in my head, a familiar melody came to mind. The loud, holy and resonating song, fitting its title of ‘The Creation’ as well as Haydn’s best oratorio.
I asked while tilting my head.
“The one beginning with a soprano solo? Was there a chorus after that?”
“There is. Only around 1 minute long though.”
Solo huh… Lee Suh-ah’s intentions were clear.
Not even trying to hide it, she said valiantly.
“I’m the best from here. So I’ll do a solo, and you guys just have to support.”
“Wow look at that boldness.”
“You have any complaints?”
Noh Jusup was amazed at that shameless attitude before crumbling in front of Lee Suh-ah’s gaze.
“No I really like it. Supporting is my forte you know.”
He flattered and Han Dasom slowly nodded her head. Soon, after coming to an agreement, their eyes gathered on me. Haydn huh… it’s indeed not a bad choice but…
But the fact that there’s a soprano solo is a bit bothering. Although there is a chorus at the end, that is still quite vague. What we were learning was concerted music – will the teacher highly evaluate a chorus that had a solo mixed in it?
‘Debatable.’
At least if I was the teacher, I would not say that was the best selection of a song. Especially if it was a group with Lee Suh-ah in, it would be too obvious that they were trying to put up a soprano solo so wouldn’t the teacher instead be angry and deduct marks?
“If we make it too obvious to have a solo, then wouldn’t the teacher dislike it?”
“Is that so?”
After staring at me with transparent eyes, she asked.
“Then how can we beat Kim Wuju… no, how can we receive higher marks in your opinion?”
Marks.
Thinking of that word made me frustrated for no reason. Marks, prac marks.
‘I have to go to the Improvement Concert with this body…’
Although there was still roughly three weeks left, it would barely be enough to prepare the body for it. No matter how I thought about it, I had no confidence to get high marks. And if I didn’t get good marks for the Improvement Concert, it would become a lot harder to get the scholarship.
After a quick calculation, under the premise that I sit all the other subjects well, I also needed to receive full marks for concerted music to even have a slight chance.
Full marks.
“…”
When I glanced at Lee Suh-ah, she had been looking at me with a glum face.
Marks. More importantly than something like that, it was like an instinct of executants to want to play a better song.
What did we need to do in order to perform better?
While staring at Lee Suh-ah who was gazing down at me, I organised my thoughts.
An all-rounder soprano, Lee Suh-ah.
The soft voice of Han Dasom.
An average bass.
And a little screwed up tenor.
The best music with these members.
What could that be
I quickly searched through the scores within my brain. Bringing forth the 20 years of database filled with songs, a melody started to dance from inside.
The four parts adding into one. On top of that, I substituted in all the members’ voices – a little softer on the soprano, smaller tenor, and a rough bass.
‘And Lee Suh-ah.’
I put in the best soprano I could think of.
Then, a rich resonance was etched into my brain. The ringing echoes of songs – I searched through them and quickly analysed each scores.
‘The tenor is too active on this one. This one limits Lee Suh-ah’s advantages. This is not in line with Han Dasom’s voice.’
And after pretty much throwing away all the songs within the textbook,
A song popped up in mind.
Han Dasom’s whispering voice and Lee Suh-ah’s clear high notes intertwining, as well as Noh Jusup and me supporting subtly from behind.
The four melody parts merged together and made a beautiful resonance. After appreciating the continuing song for a while, I slowly opened my mouth.
“Vivaldi. Gloria part 11.”
When I came to things, I found Lee Suh-ah making a frown on her face before me. I was startled into pulling back my head when Lee Suh-ah retorted.
“Part 11? Isn’t that too short?”
Hmm, indeed. No matter how we stretched it, it would probably be less than 1 minute.
I quickly thought of an alternative.
“Let’s sing together with part 12. I’m sure the teacher will agree.”
“Hmm…”
After some thought, Lee Suh-ah rather easily nodded her head.
“Alright. Then let’s sing both of them and decide which is better.”
Oh, she wasn’t really agreeing huh.
When our eyes met, I noticed her confident expression that seemed to say, no matter how you looked, my song is better.
“Let’s sing then.”
“We will know once we sing it.”
I could see her raising her chin up.
“…”
Right. It’s obvious that she would be confident. No matter what, she was the best within this school, or perhaps even the world’s best student soprano. And such a student was singing solo.
‘It’s almost like a cheat.’
To beat someone like this, there was a need for someone with a better solo ability to come forth. For example…
‘Kim Wuju.’
After quietly staring at Lee Suh-ah, I gave a nod.
“… Alright. Let’s see which one’s better.”
I’m quite confident as well, you see. At least, in choosing songs.
Me who had the experience of living as an opera singer, as well as experience as a conductor… wouldn’t I at least be better than Lee Suh-ah?
When I flicked my head, I saw Han Dasom looking at us with a puzzled expression. Her slowly blinking eyes resembled an innocent rabbit.
‘Han Dasom.’
I once again remembered her ambient voice – the warm resonance and soft timbre. If it was together with that voice, then this Vivaldi’s Gloria part 11,
‘I can definitely make it the best song.’