Korean Cultural Festival Musicians Lineup

STRINGS AND VOCAL

TeRra Han | Kayageum, Traditional Vocal, Dance

Ms Han has played the Kayageum since the age of five. She is also trained in the traditional dance and vocal arts of Korea. During her formative years, she won top prizes in major traditional music competitions including Dong-A, Hanbat, Chung-ju and Sejong. She was the recipient of the Rockefeller Grant in 2010 as its first grantee ever as a Kayageum player.

In a recent concert at the Korea Society of New York, she focused on the fabled tradition of the Korean Courtesan accompanied by professor Robert Provine of U Maryland, an authority on Korean Music, with a set of lectures. Professor Provine praised the artistry as the “Walking work of Art”.

She holds a Master’s degree from Seoul National University and is currently a candidate in the Doctor of Musical Arts program there.

[bio (en)] [bio (한)] [theterras.org]

Sumie Kaneko | Koto, Shamisen, Vocal

Ms Kaneko is Japanese Koto and Shamisen player, World music singer-songwriter and producer. Her music is recognized for uniquely chromatic uses of the instruments, blending the folk and traditional Japanese music with contemporary improvisational and experimental music.

Born in Japan, she started playing Koto at 5 years of age. The following year, she made her broadcast debut on NHK. She won theTakasaki International competition in Koto. At Tokyo University of Fine Arts and Music, where she started Shamisen, she immediately recognized the global possibility for the instrument and set the direction of her future career. In 2002 she started studying Jazz vocal at Berklee College of Music. In 2005, she founded an alternative world music project “J-Trad & More”. She collaborated with a wide range of artists such as the Pulitzer Winner Paula Vogel, the renowned Puppeteer Basil Twist and the Boston Ballet. She performed in TED (2012), Carnegie hall (2009-2013), Museum of Fine Arts Boston (2012), Tokyo National Theatre (1996).

[more info]

Yumi Bae | Cello

Ms Bae is a classically trained cellist. Born in a musical family, she started cello at the age of eight. Besides being a superb soloist with refined sound and techniques, she also participated in chamber ensembles such as Hwaum Boston String Orchestra, Haffner Sinfonietta, Boston Accompanietta and Ensemble Rose. She also cultivates musical tastes beyond the classical repertoire and collaborated in a recent Korean Popular music concert in Boston.

She studied with Hyejeong Chang, Byeonghun Park, and Huichul Chae. She holds a Masters of Performing Arts from Boston University School of Fine Arts, and is currently a Doctor of Musical Arts candidate under the guidance of Michael Reynolds.

Nayoung Paik | Violin

Nayoung Paik is a classically trained jazz violinist. She was on track to become a classical musician until she encountered Jazz as a high school student. She immediately fell for its appeal and her passion to learn more about it eventually paved the way to the Berklee College of Music.

At Berklee, she majors in Jazz violin to which she brings the disciplined techniques of the classical training and creates a unique blend of colors in expressing her music. She is trying to expand her musical horizon by participating in various musical genres in and outside the campus.

Yoengsin Kim | Vocal

Yoengsin Kim is a classically trained vocal artist. After graduating from Jung-ang University on a scholarship, she continued her study at the Longy School of Music of Bard College for Master’s of Music. Currently she is a GPD candidate at the same school. She is a high mezzo with a wide vocal range, and appeared in La Clamenza di Tito as Sextus, in Le Nozze di Figaro as Cherubino, as well as in The Magic Flute and Il Matrimonio segreto.

Marika Galea | Double Bass

Marika Galea, from Toronto, Canada is a double bass player and composer. She is a full scholarship student at Berklee College of Music and has played with highly acclaimed artists such as Tim Ries (Rolling Stones), Bucky Pizzarelli, and Donny McCaslin. Marika has appeared at jazz festivals in Ontario and held positions with the Canadian Wind Orchestra, the JazzFM91 Youth Big Band, the National Music Camp of Canada, the University of Toronto ‘Jazz Downtown Workshop’, and the Toronto Jazz Festival News Corps. She is the first student ever to host the jam at The Rex Hotel, Toronto’s premier jazz venue. In 2013, Marika was granted a Mission Jazz Fellowship of the Swing in Santa Fe, NM.

Seungho Jang | Double Bass

Seungho Jang is a classically trained bassist. After graduating from Kyung Hee Univ. as a Postmodern music major, he studied at the Seoul Jazz Academy. Before coming to Berklee to further his Jazz career, he played and appeared on various TV programs and concerts such as MBC 무한도전 (a popular Variety show in Korea), KBS 인간극장. He also participated in music sessions for the Musical Rapunzel and the hit film “악마를 보았다” (“I saw the devil”). His quintet was the Silver Lion winner at the first National College Jazz Festival in Korea. As the member of the Martin Zanker Trio, he played in the World of Basses 2010 in Frankfurt. Currently he performs actively in Jazz clubs around the area.