There’s a fascinating interview with the hugely talented composer Unsuk Chin in the Joongang Ilbo today. LKL has been an unashamed fan of Chin since the world premiere of her Cello Concerto in London in 2009, and we braved a 12-hour marathon session of performances of her music at London’s Barbican Centre earlier this month. … [Read More]
Music (page 79)
German Jazz award for Nah Youn-sun
Nice to see Nah Youn-sun getting more recognition: Best International Female Singer in German Echo Jazz Awards http://bit.ly/fXSiv2 #. “I’m surprised but thrilled,” she says. [Read More]
Concert notes: Jeajoon Ryu’s Sinfonia da Requiem
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra orchestra and 90-strong Chorus together with soprano soloist Inhye Kim convened in the Cadogan Hall on 12 April to perform Jeajoon Ryu’s Sinfonia da Requiem (2007). It was composed to honour Hyundai founder Chung Ju-yung, who passed away 10 years ago in 2001, and also dedicated to Korea’s past generations, who … [Read More]
“In my dreams, I’m Alice in Wonderland”: a day in Unsuk Chin’s fantasy landscapes
On 9 April the Barbican in collaboration with the Guildhall School of Music & Drama staged a whole day of concerts, recitals and talks focusing on the Korean-born composer Unsuk Chin. The day featured at least four UK premieres, two orchestras, a choir, and the largest stage the Barbican has ever had to build – … [Read More]
Sarah Chang plays Bruch at the Festival Hall
Is it my imagination, or whenever you see a programme with a Korean violinist in London, more than half the time it’s the Bruch they’re playing? I sometimes wish we could be given something a bit more out of the ordinary – like the rarely-performed Delius concerto Joo-yeon Sir played last year. Anyway, it’ll be … [Read More]
Unsuk Chin on BBC Woman’s Hour
You can catch Unsuk Chin’s appearance on Woman’s Hour on BBC iPlayer in an interview with Jane Garvey. 24 mins 45 seconds in. http://bbc.in/idy0Vq # [Read More]
Requiem for Chung Ju-yung: Jaejoon Ryu’s Sinfonia da Requiem at the Cadogan Hall
Jeajoon Ryu’s Sinfonia da Requiem was composed to commemorate the Chung Ju-yung, founder of Hyundai, who died ten years ago, and the generation of Koreans to whose lot befell the task of rebuilding Korea in the wake of the 1950-1952 war. Premiered at the 12th Ludwig van Beethoven Easter Festival, Warsaw, in March 2008, it … [Read More]
Get totally immersed in Unsuk Chin this Saturday
Promenaders who were bowled over by Unsuk Chin’s Cello concerto in the Albert Hall in 2009 might be planning on a trip to the Edinburgh Festival to hear Šu, her new concerto for Sheng, a 17-pipe traditional Chinese mouth organ, to be performed by the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra with Chung Myung-whun at the helm. There’s … [Read More]
Scattering Rhythms: Korean Traditional Music and Jazz at the KCC
Keith Howard has returned to SOAS from Sydney and brings with him a fusion of jazz with sanjo. Sounds interesting: Scattering Rhythms: Korean Traditional Music and Jazz at the Korean Cultural Centre UK Monday 11 April 2011 at 19:00 ‘Scattering Rhythms: Korean traditional music and Jazz’ is the creative collaboration of Korean traditional music by … [Read More]
Exhibition visit: Nam June Paik at Tate Liverpool
Korean-born artist Nam June Paik (1932-2006) is often called the father of modern video art. Think of Nam June Paik and you probably think of his massive tower of 1,003 TV sets entitled The More the Better (1988) which dominates the entrance to the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Gwacheon just outside Seoul, or … [Read More]
Menari and Musan win awards
“Menari, the Sound of Korea”, a short documentary on eastern folk singer Park Soo-kwan wins Delphic Art Movie Award 2011 The Journals of Musan, a film about difficulties of Northern defectors, wins jury prize at Deauville Asian Film Fest http://bit.ly/gnzRaJ [Read More]
Gig review: Nah Youn Sun and Ulf Wakenius at Pizza Express Soho
March 1st this year at Pizza Express Soho was Nah Youn Sun’s first headline gig in Central London. Her actual London debut was in the Vortex in Hackney in May 2009, and in March 2010 she supported the Swedish band Tonbrucket in a much bigger venue, the Queen Elizabeth Hall. LKL wondered whether Nah’s style … [Read More]
Baek Hyun-jhin’s Time of Reflection and other recent music links
Some recent music links: The Guardian continues its series on the North Korean music scene: Pyongyang goes pop http://bit.ly/gIQhx1 # RT @indiefulrok: Don’t know who all of those Korean Music Awards 2011 winners were? Find out here: http://t.co/nIotYeD #kindie # via @refresh_daemon: So glad that Baik Hyunjhin took some time to reflect. init_music: 백현진 – … [Read More]
Korean-Japanese duo 10 performs in Stoke Newington
Tomorrow, Sunday, is your last chance to catch experimental Korean-Japanese duo 10 before they head back to Seoul. 10 FINAL CONCERT IN LONDON WITH THE RUNS F$?&ED 4 WAYS IDLERICH Time 27 February · 20:00 – 23:00 Location Ryan’s bar 181 Church Street, Stoke Newington, London N16 0UL [Map] London, United Kingdom Featuring: 10(itta x … [Read More]
Event news: Nah Youn Sun at Pizza Express Jazz, Soho
March the First, a big date in the Korean calendar. And for LKL, it’s a date we’ve had in our diary for a while: our favourite jazz singer, Nah Youn Sun, is at one of London’s premier jazz venues, Pizza Express Soho, along with guitarist Ulf Wakenius. Here’s a sample of a track from their … [Read More]
K-pop special at the KCC
For those who’ve never made it down to one of the Vauxhall clubs for one of the K-pop team’s all-nighters, there’s something a bit more sedate at the KCC this Friday – but get there early: it’s sure to be very busy. Kpop Special @ Korean Culture Centre Korean Cultural Centre UK, Grand Buildings, 1 … [Read More]