Program

Part I : The Flower
The evening starts with a scene of celebration which offers a brief tasting of the popular traditional dance and percussion music (Samul-nori), which culminates in an enactment of the traditional marriage ceremony accompanied by a warm and exciting ensemble piece that fuses the old and the new.

Part II: The Petal
One of the foremost instruments of the Korean traditional music is Kayageum. The middle segment of the concert will feature this petal of the flower, also embodied by the fabulous Kayageum virtuoso of the evening, whose elegant physique and costume fit our image of the delicate and vulnerable beauty of a petal. The pieces she play will encompass the whole gamut of the genre from the meditative traditional piece to the duets with a cellist with a nod to another classical tradition as well as popular music.

Part III : The Wind
Now imagine the petal whisked off the flower by a gust of wind. The winds could be coming in any direction, maybe in the form of a Tango classic, the Japanese Trad, or an intriguing experimental jazz collective. Would the petal be able to tame the wind and ride along it? Would Arirang bring all disparate threads together ? Where would be its destination ? The program will end with the question unanswered.
The audience are encouraged to go home with their interest piqued about the flower, the petal, and the wind and further explore on their own and through other excellent cultural festivities around Boston. Hopefully, the taste of the Korean Bibimbop and Pastries stirred your appetite, so you will be looking up Yelp for further culinary adventures. To refresh your memory, you may also visit the archive of this evening’s performances in near future here, hopefully with a friend.