“Grace notes are ornamental, but they heighten the characteristics of the music and complete the piece. Without them, the music wouldn’t have soul,” a music teacher once tells Sang-Eun. Sang-Eun is born the fifth child and youngest daughter of the wealthy politician’s family in Seoul. From the beginning, she is destined for a purpose, because the misfortune of her birth during the Pacific war saves her family. When the Korean War breaks out, they escape again, as refugees in the southernmost part of Korea. When Sang-Eun finally returns to her beloved Seoul after the cease-fire, she faces her own personal war with a ruthlessly competitive academic-based society. Only when she takes up the cello does she find the path to national fame and recognition. But amid the performances and prizes, Sang-Eun still feels something is missing. She packs her bags for America to fulfill her dream of becoming a famous concert cellist. But along the way, she finds her true passion and learns unexpected lessons.
“Grace Notes” is a timeless story that spans two cultures, two continents, and two languages as it speaks of the universal love connecting sister to sister, mother to daughter, and wife to husband.
