Director BIO: Ryan Park (CRESCENDO)

Director Statement

‘Crescendo’ explores Gretchen Lee’s travel as a musician and how, despite hearing loss in the right ear, she is able to write, play, and share music with her community. Gretchen explains how she came to the U.S. at the age of ten after losing her father who had been murdered by a stranger on street. Then she describes how chronic otitis media struck her in the middle of her internship at a music post production company, and soon after a series of surgeries, she began to lose her hearing in the right ear. When it was no longer possible for her to go back to her work and suggested she use hearing aids for the rest of her life, she decided to not overcome the struggle but to embrace it. She is still grateful for her ability to play music and to make people happy. Although she can only hear half of sound, she does not stop pursuing her dream to be a song writer.

In the film Gretchen goes on a road trip with her friend Jenny
and throughout the trip, they perform music in the car, in the tent, and even on the street. Gretchen explains that music isn’t just sound. Music is something that she can picture, it’s something she can see, and it’s something she can feel. And it’s something that can be anywhere and everywhere. As she wants the trip to be music-oriented, she talks about where she wants to go with her music career as well as why she is considering herself a Korean indie folk song writer.

Gretchen teaches little kids piano lessons every morning and on the weekends, she devotes her time to play for the church. Church has been a huge part of her life and God has been the reason why she could come through what she’s been through. She admits that everything was planned by God even her hearing loss and she just wants to follow his plans. As she teaches her students and serves in church, she feels very appreciated to be able to do such things.