It would be an understatement to say that the cultural year 2020 has been markedly different from previous years. The pandemic has had a huge impact on the cultural scene, with most live events cancelled and event promoters falling back on the internet to provide us with our cultural fixes. Some of these attempts have […]
Category: World music
Selected publications
- Andrew Killick: Hwang Byungki: Traditional Music and the Contemporary Composer in the Republic of Korea, Ashgate 2013
- Kim Choon-mee: Harmonia Koreana: A Short History of 20th century Korean Music, Hollym 2011
- Keith Howard: Creating Korean Music: Tradition, Innovation and the Discourse of Identity, Ashgate 2006
- Evelyn Glennie, Various: Great Journeys of the World, BBC 1994
New Creativity in the UK’s East Asian Music Scene: A Symposium
Tangram, a collective of artists and performers exploring Chinese and Western musics, collaborates with SOAS to present an event with a broader East Asian perspective. Kim Hyelim and Choi Youngsook participate for Korea. New Creativity in the UK’s East Asian Music Scene Thursday 10 December 2020, 7-8pm GMT | Friday 11 December 2020, 3-5pm GMT […]
Shin Seung-tae’s new Trot persona
When Lee Hee Moon announced the disbandment of his glam rock minyo outfit Ssing Ssing last year, I forewent gnashing of teeth and rending of garments, prophesying instead that an abundance of interesting projects must surely follow. And Lo, it did come to pass. Female vocalist Chu Da-hye started her band, Chudahye and The Chagis […]
K-music 2020 online: Heemoon Lee + Prelude + NomNom
Heemoon Lee’s gig with Prelude and NomNom at K-music 2017 (pictured below) was LKL’s live performance of the year, and it’s a strong contender for most fun gig of the whole K-music series so far. So it deserves its place in this K-music Greats strand, the final online concert of the festival. K-Music Greats III: […]
K-music 2020 online: Park Jiha, Kyungso Park, Woojae Park + Soona Park
The second online concert of the K-music Specials strand brings us a collaboration between four Parks, three of whom have featured at past K-music festivals. The fourth Park, Soona, has separately played in London several times as part of Baramgot. K-Music Specials II: Park Jiha, Kyungso Park, Woojae Park + Soona Park Friday 13 November, […]
K-music 2020 online: Leenalchi
The final online concert in the Critics’ Choice strand brings us a band who’ve really exploded onto the scene this year. Critics’ Choice III: Leenalchi Thursday 12 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Leenalchi are currently enjoying viral success with the video ‘Feel the Rhythm of Korea’, in collaboration with the Ambiguous Dance Company […]
K-music 2020 online: Sinnoi
The second online concert in the Critics’ Choice strand brings us the innovative trio Sinnoi. Critics’ Choice II: Sinnoi Wednesday 11 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive A unique presence on the jazz scene, Sinnoi has a minimalist composition with rich, deep musical interplay of improvised and delicate exchanges. Sinnoi was formed by Bora […]
K-music 2020 online: Coreyah
The first concert in the Critics’ Choice strand introduces us to Coreyah, who came to the Edinburgh Fringe in 2013 but as far as I know have not otherwise performed in the UK. Critics’ Choice I: Coreyah Tuesday 10 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Coreyah are a psychedelic Korean folk music group, integrating […]
K-music 2020 online: Gray by Silver + Gonia
The second of the two online concerts from the New Talent strand brings together two interesting jazz-infused acts: New Talent III & IV: Gray By Silver + Gonia Monday 9 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Gray By Silver Expressive pianist and composer Hanbin Lee leads this jazz group in expertly performed, emotional pieces […]
K-music 2020 online: Black String
Black String return to K-music in the second of the K-music Greats strand of the 2020 festival: K-music Greats II: Black String Saturday 7 November, 5pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive ACT artists and masters of traditional Korean music and jazz Black String burst on to the London scene in 2011, their rise to the […]
K-music 2020 online: Hey String
For me, Hey String were the highlight of K-music 2019. So it’s great to see that they’ve got another gig this year. K-Music Specials I: Hey String Friday 6 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Gayageum trio Hey String push beyond the limitations of traditional performance in a full force of interplaying melodies and […]
K-music 2020 online: Kyungso Park, Jae Il Jung + Soona Park
A double-bill of collaborations in the third online concert of K-music 2020. K-music Encounters II: Kyungso Park + Soona Park Wednesday 4 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Kyungso Park Kyungso Park is a composer, player and improviser of the gayageum, a traditional Korean stringed instrument that sounds like a cross between a harp, […]
K-music 2020 online: Yoon Jeong Heo + Vincent Peirani
Some of the highlights of previous K-music festivals have been the collaboration between Korean and Western performers. Here’s the first such event in the 2020 festival. K-Music Encounters I: Yoon Jeong Heo (from Black String) + Vincent Peirani Tuesday 3 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive In the first episode of K-Music Encounters, geomungo […]
K-music 2020 online: Dongyang Gozupa + Dal:um
The second online concert of K-music 2020 introduces some new acts that we haven’t seen before. Let’s hope they get to come over in person next year. K-Music New Talent I + II: Dongyang Gozupa + Dal:um Monday 2 November, 7pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Dongyang Gozupa In a hard-hitting combination of progressive, post-rock […]
K-music 2020 online: Jambinai
The first online concert of K-music 2020 features one of the most popular acts from previous years. K-Music Greats I: Jambinai Saturday 31 October, 5pm Watch at www.youtube.com/thekccuk or www.youtube.com/seriousmusiclive Jambinai present traditional Korean music in a new and innovative way, with their ground-breaking post-rock sound that combines folk, metal, jazz and ambient electronic elements […]
K-music 2020: the official press release
Despite the pandemic, Serious and the KCCUK have arranged a great line-up for K-music this year. Bookended by live performances to open and close the festival, there’s a range of exciting online performances which involve new collaborations between favourite K-music artists from the past as well as some new names. We’ve already posted about the […]