YNK @ 70

I am just now beginning to come down from the surreality that was this past Sunday — it was, without a doubt, the most meaningful and magical day of my life.

In honor of my father’s 70th birthday, with the help of our distinguished guest violist Nobuko Imai and many others, we presented him — in-between quintets by Mozart and Mendelssohn — with a special, monogrammed Japanese piñata, a surprise visit and performance with my brother Daniel (who secretly flew in from New York), four secret commissions written in honor of the occasion by John Harbison, Steve Heitzeg, Peter Child, and Stan Skrowaczewski, and concluded the celebration with the YNK SSO — the “Young-Nam Kim Secret Surprise Orchestra” — comprised of 29 of his current and former students performing the slow movement of Mozart’s final quartet all together on stage.  There were and still are no words to describe the emotions of the day; I leave you with the photos and videos below.

Homemade sushi dinner, courtesy of the Ishidas!
A homemade sushi dinner in honor of Nobuko Imai, courtesy of Mr. & Mrs. Ishida!
A post-dinner hang with the incomparable Miss Nobuko Imai
A post-dinner hang with the incomparable Miss Nobuko
The Piñata Pull -- YNK with Miss Nobuko Imai and Mr. Takuzo Ishida, with the help of the lovely Eli Bissonett
The Piñata Pull!  YNK with guest Nobuko Imai and Takuzo Ishida, with the help of the lovely Eli Bissonett
The greatest viola trio ever created; Danny Kim, Nobuko Imai, and Sally Chisholm performing Tertis' arrangement of Beethoven's Op. 87 trio, in honor of YNK
The greatest viola trio ever created; Danny Kim, Nobuko Imai, and Sally Chisholm performing Tertis’ arrangement of Beethoven’s Op. 87 trio, in honor of YNK
Performing Harrison's "Aria: No Answer" for Papa Kim
Performing Harbison’s “Aria: No Answer” for Papa Kim
Performing Heitzeg's "Stone (Save the Boundary Waters)"
Performing Heitzeg’s “Stone (Save the Boundary Waters)” for Papa Kim
Performing, with brother Daniel, duos by Peter Child and Stan Skrowaczewski
Performing, with brother Daniel, duos for YNK by Peter Child and Stan Skrowaczewski
YNK SSO
The YNK SSO, Team Violins
The YNK SSO, Team Lower Strings
The YNK SSO, Team Lower Strings

Post-Concert with the stunned YNK =)
Post-Concert with the birthday boy =)
At the after-party with brother Daniel and the legendary Maestro Stan
At the after-party with brother Daniel and the legendary Maestro Stan

7 thoughts on “YNK @ 70”

  1. To read that this was the most meaningful and magical day of your life, and to have shared in this…wow!! Feeling so honored! Thank you Ariana!

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    So nice to discover someone with some unique thoughts on this subject matter.
    Really.. thanks for starting this up. This website is
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