5 December 2011

Making Music
by Melanie Hoyt

YUNA KIM HAS PREVIOUSLY lent her voice to several popular songs in her South Korean homeland, but her first connection to a complete album comes from an unexpected genre, “The Queen on Ice,” which was released in August, is a classical collection featuring the actual music Kim has performed to in international competitions over the years.

While Kim is the cover girl on this two-disc CD compilation and will most certainly be the catalyst for album sales, the guys behind the music are David Wilson and Hugo Chouinard.

Wilson’s choreography has figured significantly in Kim’s performances over the past five years, and he is well known to skating fans all over the world.

While Chouinard‘s name may be less recognizable, his work is even more widespread than that of his counterpart. Chouinard has mixed custom music through his company Studio Unisons for many of the world’s top skaters, including Kim, Daisuke Takahashi, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, Brian Joubert, Johnny Weir and many, many others.

Chouinard‘s natural ear for music, Wilson’s choreography and Kim’s artistry have melded together to create some of skating’s most memorable programs, the music of which is captured on this CD set.

This marks the first time a compilation of skating program music is available for purchase by the general public. No doubt judges should likely prepare themselves for many of Kim’s programs to reappear in the coming years.

“This album contains eight creations that David and I designed for Yuna,” Chouinard explained. “We worked together on musical research and structural experimentation to create a perfect fit with the choreography and, most of all, to highlight Yuna’s amazing skills.”

The first CD highlights eight pieces of Kim’s most memorable and unique work, from her breakout season’s “The Lark Ascending” to last year’s “Homage to Korea.”

The second disc contains 10 pieces that Kim recommends, including familiar melodies like Gershwin’s “Summertime,” but it also features more unusual tracks such as the “Adagio” from Marcello’s “Oboe Concerto in D-minor.”

“Each piece that David and l have created for Yuna has been an exciting journey” Chouinard said. “We share a common desire to create unique compositions. We are very proud that this opportunity was made possible by the visionary flair of Universal Music Korea in collaboration with All That Sports.”

“The Queen on Ice” is available at Korean music outlets and at Amazon Japan (Amazon.co.jp)