Above: A Profile of Hahn-Bin - now Amadeus Leopold - on Classic Young Stars Equal parts virtuoso violinist and glam fashion icon, Hahn-Bin announced recently that he has changed his name to Amadeus Leopold, according to Limelight magazine. The 25-year-old protege of legendary violinist Itzhak Perlman said the name change carries "spiritual significance" for him and pays homage to his violin idols, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Leopold Auer (1845-1930). The Korean-born artist also told Limelight that the new name, which is his legal name as an American citizen, underscores his place in a world that is erasing the boundary between classical and pop music:
We are very near that golden era of music; one that is reminiscent of the days when Liszt and Kreisler, Rachmaninov and Mozart himself, were the rock stars of their day. My role in this world is to embody the renaissance of classical music itself; I wanted to make that message clear to the world.
Amadeus Leopold's act packages seemingly effortless violin technique in outside-the-box, glam rock-inspired costumes and makeup, cabaret-inspired staging and, sometimes, fantasy narrative reminiscent of Cirque du Soleil. Here's his video Young Frankenstein, which he describes as "A footage of the ghost of my past, haunting my funeral:" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaXojUyZVeo Read more: Hahn-Bin No More: Violinist Changes Name to Amadeus Leopold (Limelight)
