KAYA have been part of the London Korean music scene for many years. And if you go to Kaya restaurant in Albemarle Street (no relation) the chances are that their music will be playing in the background. It’s nice to get a chance to see them again live: KAYA – In Concert Traditional Korean harp … [Read More]
Music (page 71)
Hugh Keice at O2 Academy Islington
Here at LKL we’ve been a fan of Seoul-born, London-based folk-indie musician Hugh Keice for a while. You can catch him live at the O2 Academy Islington on 21 October. Buy tickets here. Links: www.hughkeice.co.uk [Read More]
Yunhee Choi and Hun Ouk Park at the Steinway Studios
News of an upcoming recital at the Steinway studios. Nice programme. Yunhee Choi (piano) and Hun Ouk Park (violin) Steinway Hall 44 Marylebone Lane, W1U 2DB Thurs 11 Oct, 2012 6.30PM Programme Arvo Pärt: Fratres César Franck: Sonata for violin and piano in A major Arvo Pärt: Spiegel im Spiegel Yunhee Choi, pianist Yunhee Choi, … [Read More]
He’s the UK Chuseok #1 – but will he ever be allowed to perform anything else?
In this evening’s UK popular music chart listings, PSY finally made it to the top slot, having reached number three last week. Not bad going for a track released in mid July the other side of the Eurasian landmass. It’s been interesting watching the Gangnam wave as it has spread from Seoul to the rest … [Read More]
Sarah Chang plays Barber at the Cadogan Hall
I’m always grumbling that Sarah Chang never plays anything apart from Bruch which she comes to London. And when she plays something more interesting, there’s often a clash with another compelling Korean cultural event. Earlier this year I couldn’t go to her Shostakovich because E J-yong needed to be interviewed. So I wonder what will … [Read More]
CNBLUE at the indigO2 – Saharial reports from last Saturday’s gig
It was 3pm on a sunny but cool afternoon when I began to queue for the CNBLUE concert, though many had been there since early morning coming from as far afield as Finland, France, Switzerland, Italy and Poland – a wide mix of nationalities and ethnicity that seemed almost equal. As with all concerts there … [Read More]
Recommended event this week: Beautiful Mind charity honours Paralympians
As we approach the end of All Eyes on Korea, the 100-day festival of Korean culture coinciding with the Olympics, South Korea is putting on one final spurt of energy to honour the paralympians. At the Thames Festival this weekend the Korean Village will be screening Marathon – a film about an autistic athlete. I’m … [Read More]
All Eyes on Korea: consistent investment in the performing arts brings its rewards
The London 2012 Olympics was around a decade in the making: preparation of the bid, building the venue itself and putting in place the infrastructure required to run a successful games. And for the last couple of years of that preparation time, a separate team of hard-working organisers from the Korean Ministry of Culture Sports … [Read More]
CNBlue comes to the indigO2
Not many commercial K-pop bands play their own instruments, but CN Blue is one of them. And in fact their story on Wikipedia has them debuting as an indie band. But they are now with the same conglomerate that runs Hyori and T-ara. CNBLUE at the indigO2 22 September 2012, 6pm The smash hit 4-piece … [Read More]
The second KCC-sponsored K-pop contest
Now you’ve had the training at the KTO-sponsored K-pop workshop, it’s time to enter the KCC’s K-pop contest, in conjunction with YG Entertainment. Details of how to enter are on the KCC website here. Apply by 24 August. [Read More]
Battle of the Divas: Shining K-Classics at the Festival Hall
Maestro Seigerstam eased himself onto the platform looking like a cross between Brahms and a benign troll, long white beard resting on a generous stomach, long white hair reaching down the back of his tailcoat. With a waggle of his baton, the woodwind started playing Tchaikovsky’s Romeo & Juliet Overture and the Shining K-Classics concert … [Read More]
Concert notes: Be-Being’s Korean Masque Music Project at the QEH
Be-Being (비빙) was the first of the five musical events of the All Eyes on Korea festival on the South Bank and set the scene well for the remainder. It was an evening of fusion: contemporary music on traditional instruments, with some of the numbers accompanied by traditional mask dances from a variety of traditions. … [Read More]
Concert notes: HJ Lim at the Wigmore
She strode onto the stage in her trademark silk trouser suit, casually tossed a handkerchief into the piano and launched immediately into the intensity of the first of Rachmaninov’s Etudes Tableaux Op 33. HJ Lim’s debut at the Wigmore had departed. As when a bus driver puts his foot on the accelerator before his passengers … [Read More]
Concert Notes: All Eyes on Baramgot at the Purcell Room
I had expected the five-piece ensemble Baramgot (바람곶) to provide a solid evening of traditionally folk-inspired Korean music. Having attended a number of traditional Korean music performances before, I had a fairly clear idea of what I was in for, and I was looking forward to it. The 75 minute programme consisted of seven items, … [Read More]
Kayageum and lion dance at Kingston Summer Breeze
Kayageum and Guitar duo Kaya, featuring Jung Ji-eun (kayageum) and Jeon Sung-min (guitar) will be performing at the Summer Breeze event in Kingston’s Cranbury Gardens (KT2 5AU) near the Bandstand, on Saturday 4 August. There will also be a Korean lion dance from the Bongsan Mask Dance Group. The event runs 12:00 – 6:00 pm. … [Read More]
Shining K-Classics at the Royal Festival Hall
The last of the All Eyes on Korea musical events is of Western classical music, featuring two of Korea’s best-loved classical stars: Shining K-Classics Date: 31 July 2012, 7:30pm Venue: Royal Festival Hall Violinist Sarah Chang and soprano Sumi Jo, Korea’s foremost classical musicians, will perform with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Leif Segerstam at the … [Read More]