There will be a free concert by the former head pianist of the Pyongyang* National Symphony of North Korea, Kim Chul Woong, at Yonsei University on the evening of July 20 (this Thursday) at 6:30.
It is being organized by an NK human rights student group, so expect a little bit of proselytizing between before and after the concert, but it is all for a good cause. Kim is a proponent of ‘reconciliation’ between the Koreas, so I doubt there will be much hard-core Dear Leader bashing.
If any readers can make it, please post a review in the comments section.
The details:
Mid Summer Night Concert
-Feel the Heart of North Korea-Dear faculty and friends,
You are cordially invited to an evening of music and personal sharing
from North Korea.The Jazz, North Korean Folk Music, North Korean Movie Song and other
musical pieces will be performed by Mr. Kim, Chul Woong in an informal
setting. Mr. Kim is an establish concert pianist, graduate of
Tchaikovsky Moscow Sate Conservatory and PyongYang Conservatory and he
was the head pianist of PyongYang National Symphony of North Korea. He
is residing in South Korea since 2003.This will be a wonderful opportunity for you and students to take a
break from hot summer and make one summer night memory in beautiful
Yonsei Campus in support of Peace and Unity between South and North
Korea.Date: July 20th, 2006 (Thursday)
Time: 6:30pm-8:00pm
Place: College of Music (New Building)/ Yun Ju-Yong Hall, Yonsei
University; 연세대학교 음악대학 신관/ 윤주용 홀
Admission Fee: Free
Host: Division of International Education and Exchange (DIEE), Yonsei University
Organized by: Faculty and Students who are concerned for North Korean
Human Rights
*Man, I really want to spell it “Pyeongyang.”
14 Comments
Division of International Education and Exchange (DIEE),
That is a rather strange acronym.
“DIEEEE!”
I was thiking of going… but the time doesn’t fit with my schedule.
Anyone else?
Seeing as how I’m currently in the DIEE program, I’m more than likely to go.
Nerdieboy,
Report! Report, man!
Does anyone smell a rat?
At the end of the article, he says he is using a pseudonym to protect his family, but he had already identified himself as someone who studied at the Moscow Conservatory in 1995. Hmmm, I wonder who this mystery man is? Wow, this is a tough one for the NK authorities to figure out.
And as far as twentieth-century music being banned – well, maybe it was in 1996, but I sure doubt it seeing as one of the major music academies in Pyongyang is named after Yun Isang – probably Korea’s most famous contemporary composer. Also, at the Spring Festival in PY this year, the audience was treated to Bartok played by a Russian orchestra, as well as country music from an American group! Many nations performed in multiple halls (even an Australian band) and lots of imperialist and modern music was heard and enjoyed.
For this reason, the “please pity me” tone of Kin Chul Woong rings a little hollow, but maybe I’m wrong.
Just for fun, where the hell did the wild hotshit capitalist dog drumming on the second half of this NK clip come from?
http://www.robpongi.com/pages/comboGTEENS.html
Judging from the above quote in the Yonhap piece, the pianist Kim also seems to have a great sense of humor. “I graduated from a DPRK music institute, and studied one year in Tchaikovsky Music Academy in Moscow, but then I heard Richard Clayderman play, and it changed my life.” Ok, perhaps Richard Clayderman is a great pianist, and I’m just fooled by his reputation.
You just have to look beneath the surface and you will see genius.
Re: American country band - it was actually a folk group:
http://www.asianreporter.com/s.....ilband.htm
And the quote of the week (from another source):
Apologies if this is a hijack, but life’s short.
Here’s an audio interview that includes recordings from that folk/country band playing in Pyongyang. Hank Williams and Arirang, anyone?
http://audio.theworld.org/mp3/glohit/06232006.mp3
The list of bands that’s been to Pyongyang is longer than we think! The Finnish hard rock trio Peer Günt went to the festival over there in 1989 with other acts such as Sielun Veljet. Here’s a snippet from an interview (my translation)
Perhaps the ban of rock took place in DPRK after this group’s visit.
My man does not know Jazz from pop. Clayderman is pop, not Jazz — unless he is hidding some talent away.
Report what?
Well, since you went out of your way to say that you were attending the concert, why do you think that the readers here wouldn’t expect some kind of account of it? A report, an interview, an impression?
If you stand up with your hands in the air and do nothing, nobody is going to be very impressed when you shout “What ball?”
What Pyotr just said (only less unpleasantly)
Although I admit I failed Impudence 101, I’m a bit offended that you should call into question the quality of my unpleasantness! Just as you are Korean and proud of it, I am unpleasant and proud of it! I am proud and unpleasant, Mr Jack Son.