Im Yuri

Create new waves with saxophone. Saxophonist ‘Im Yuri’

Saxophonist Im Yu-ri is a special artist. For 18 years, she shows an unrivalled presence in the Korean saxophone world, which is considered challenging for female artists’ advancement. In addition, she is loved by many people for her skills and rich emotional expression even in numerous orchestra performances. Let's hear about Im Yu-ri's musical journey and dream for renewing Korean saxophone culture as an artist and saxophone educator.

The musical journey

Im Yu-ri grew up with a mother who runs a piano academy and a father who plays the guitar. She grew up in an environment where she often encountered music, and she says the environment around her, and memories of that time gave her the opportunity to start and continue music.

Relationship with music and education

The beginning of playing saxophone was very simple. My father started playing the saxophone, then one day, he asked me to play the saxophone. I've never learned saxophone before that time, but I thought it was similar to playing a recorder. I played "Hometown Spring (Korean songs)" with a saxophone on the spot. My father saw it and said, "You should play the saxophone." And he helped me learn saxophone officially from saxophonist Lee Byung-joo. I was a freshman in high school.

From this time on, I was able to apply the experience I developed while officially learning saxophone to saxophone education. I want to change the culture and perception of saxophone through my saxophone academy that I run. I think that there needs to be a place where you can learn saxophone properly so that the level of this field can be higher in 20 to 30 years.

Struggles as a woman artist in the field of music

It is regrettable that there are only a limited number of places to perform as a female artist and performer. Male performers were able to play naturally in places like the bar, but because I'm a woman, the perspective around me was different. Even if I went to an event held at the local marketplace, there was a difference in dealing with male and female performers. Since I'm young and a woman, I used to feel like I'm being treated carelessly. When I think about that time, I think people at that time had a perception that they didn't respect a saxophone artist. So, I made a lot of effort to change people's perceptions of saxophonists.

In the past, there weren't many saxophone-oriented events and stages. Also, the musicians played Korean trot music just to lighten the mood of the event. At first, I focused on events where saxophone performance could be the center of the stage and respected. And I listened to high-qualitied saxophone music and practice to play. Even if I play K-pop, I have changed the set list to our generation's popular songs released after the 90s, not trot, to fit the trend. Collaboration with the orchestra was one of the activities. Fortunately, many people recognized this effort.

What is the strong point of women in the field of music

I think women have a great emotional sensitivity they can deliver when 'expressing music'. If the artist has a greater change in emotions, there is an advantage in expressing the song delicately while playing.
The performance is different when you're happy, and when you're sad. To add to my personal experience, women are able to capture the emotions that you really feel depending on your situation, such as dating, marriage, pregnancy, and childbirth. I hope you make good use of them.

Even if it's not a saxophone, I hope women learn and play musical instruments. Because a really normal person can become special by just playing a musical instrument. I recommend you all try and enjoy playing an instrument.

Your Dream and message to the next generation

Rather than saying, "I want to be a great artist", I want to be a person who feels "happiness" in the situation of playing saxophone and teaching students. It is to be a happy artist. I want to be a performer who makes my performance happy and gives comfort and emotion to those who listen to it. Likewise, I hope that the students with me will be performers who can comfort and touch people's hearts. I think it would be nice if my heart could be conveyed well to the people who learn from me and expressed through performances.

The times have changed now. In the past, many women dreamed of being a good wife, but now I think there is an infinite number of things we can do as a woman. I also want to work as an artist and educator for a long time while spreading those possibilities and dreams.