Korean violinist’s attack on a coughing child spoils her anticipated return.

The much-anticipated return to the concert platform by violinist Kyung-Wha Chung has been overshadowed by an unfortunate incident involving a coughing child.

The Korean virtuoso was one of the highest-flying soloists of the 1970s and 80s and her recordings of mainstream concerto repertoire were eagerly collected. She was a noted chamber musician with partners including Radu Lupu and Krystian Zimerman and, along with her cellist sister Myung-Wha and her brother, pianist and conductor Myung-Whun, she was part of one of classical music’s most successful dynasties. But family life, followed by a performance related injury caused her to withdraw entirely from live performance.

Yesterday saw her first recital in 12 years in front of a substantial crowd at London’s Festival Hall. Starting with the Mozart G Major sonata K379, Chung appeared distracted and annoyed by the barrage of coughing that erupted at the conclusion of the first movement. Turning to the parents of a child a few rows from the stage, she allegedly declared: “don’t you think you should bring her when she’s a bit older?”

Cowed into silence, the audience sat in some degree of terror as Chung proceded to...