“Jae-cheon Park the musician” sounds more familiar than “Jae-cheon Park the programmer.” I first saw him on stage during the opening performance of the 2012 Yeourak Festival. The voice of Ahn Sook-sun, pansori singer who has always added excitement to songs, kkwaenggwari played by Gwang-su Lee and the drum, by Cheong-man Kim were joyfully harmonizing with the rhythm provided by Jae-chone Park! Later on, I was reading Jazz It Up! written by Mu-seong Nam who is a good writer and who has a great taste in music and it was at that time I met Miyeon & Park again. Indeed, Jae-cheon Park’s free jazz was taking an important part in the book dealing with the history of international jazz. Afterward, his names appeared whenever Korean traditional music had a chance to be born anew on such occasions as the 2013 Sinawi Project.

The musician Jae-cheon Park is used to going from one style to another and he is active and meticulous in making “practical” what he feels during such a transfer, thus making music with many different tunes. His own Korean-style drum-beating style called the “Korean grip” was also created in this process. This drum-beating serves as an important bridge for his crossover of jazz, Korean traditional music and world music. That may be why the 2013 Jeonju International Sori Festival, which was filled with the “sound” (sori in Korean) from the “world” for five days, seemed to be his another musical instrument.

The Root, Youth, Future, World and Thoughts Expressed with Sori

On October 2, “Ari Arirang Sori Sorirang,” the opening performance of the Jeonju International Sori Festival, took place. Jae-cheon Park was busy and was carrying out multiple tasks. He had participated in the Festival from time to time as a musician but this time, he came to serve as its programmer and the general director of its opening performance. The title “programmer” sounds cool and charismatic but what he was doing everyday was comparable to a combat. As Park joined Kolleen Park and Hyung-seok Kim, chairpersons of the Festival’s executive committee, more emphasis was naturally put on world music, one of the important elements of the Festival. In this way, Park sought the spread of Korean traditional tunes while Ji-young Park (program team) strengthened the basis of classical Korean music. It was a great harmony.

From October 2 to 6, there were a “root,” “youth” and the “world.” On one side, there were “acclamations” and “enthusiasm” and on another side, the “future.” Ideas and thoughts about sound were also exchanged. For five days, Jeonju embraced all “sounds” coming from the world. During the opening performance “Ari Arirang Sori Sorirang,” unique musicians from eight countries appeared. What Park did as the general director of the performance was to roll a globe; when it stopped turning, he integrated the country’s music into “Arirang,” Korean traditional folk song. Consequently, voices from the 13 female singers harmonized with “Arirang” and their voices met those of the Jeonju and Gunsan Municipal Choruses to sing together “We Are the Arirang.” As Park approached the performance as a fellow musician, not as a planner, it was unexpectedly “easy” to gather “people” together. However, what was unexpectedly not easy was to gather the different “sounds” of such diverse people.

“Trying different simulations by working with the media data team for 40 days, I said to myself, ‘What a hard game!’ What was hard was to set the direction of overall organization and arrangement. So I asked my wife and colleague Miyeon a variety of things and I had to think about what ”cards“ to hold and which of them to show first among the 17 Buddhist monks in charge of Buddhist music including Inmuk, 13 female singers and 70 members of chorus... Here, the ”cards“ could refer to order, country, beat, accompaniment, story, tradition, jazz, world music, etc.”

Such concerns were not confined to the opening performance. During the preparation of the Festival, all of its programs, whose sounds were gathered, arranged and rearranged by mixing “cards,” generated such concerns. As a programmer, Park was diligent in piecing parts together to complete a big picture. He also gave harsh feedback from by thinking from the audience’s point of view, not from that of an artist, to move forward step by step.

Q : What characterizes this year’s Jeonju International Sori Festival?

A : It is characterized by the theme “Korean Traditional Music Heading toward World Music.” This year, the number of overseas musicians increased. I thought that the audience should see earlier than others the current situation of the music that is made throughout the world and here in Korea. This is never about going abroad with what is Korean. In today’s industry, we work in a different way. Wandering around to sell products is old-fashioned. Now, we need to make people come to buy products. If something works well here, people come here. Such strengthening of program planning and traditional elements is needed more than ever before. What we use must first become precious, high-quality products. This is what I have wanted to pursue while working for this Festival.

Q : As the Festival’s programmer, you would have watched all programs so you would have visited many sites to watch them.

A : In total, 29 sites were run. I was determined to visit all of these sites in one day but the maximum number of sites I was able to visit for one day was about 15. The venues were divided into the Jeonju Culture Tour and Sori Arts Center of Jeollabuk-do. Except for the opening day, I visited all sites at least a couple of times.

Q : Preparing this year’s Festival, what was your principle as its programmer?

A : My principle was that all programs must be good. It was a sort of obsession. The Festival is comparable to my house where the entrance, balcony, children’s rooms, kitchen and washrooms must be all good.

Q : Working on the Festival from its beginning to end and from its top to bottom to piece things together, what was the joy you felt?

A : I planned and organized the Festival from the perspective of the instrument players. During the opening ceremony, a double bill that I had intended was enabled by the stage and video that appeared at the same time, making the audience and players happy. Since “sound” is the leading actor of this Festival, I wanted to make the opening ceremony only with sound and music so such success gave me hope to plan another program in the future. I’m personally very happy for that.

Here is the Future of Korean Sori

Since 2001, Korean “sounds” have appeared on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists. The destiny of “sounds’ that are being forgotten today is connected to such systems. Many people remember their destiny as they appear in international systems. In that sense, the Jeonju International Sori Festival focused on ”sound“ is one of such systems; it serves as this era’s center of Korean sound by ceaselessly fighting against oblivion and by making history through its diligent collection of sounds.

Q : What attitude and what other factors are needed to ensure the global growth of not only the Jeonju International Sori Festival but also Korean “sound,” Korea’s asset and heritage?

A : I often compare the Festival to an egg. Jeonju is an eggshell which symbolizes the hard covering made of tradition. Sound is the white of an egg which means so many materials existing in Korean music. The Festival is the yolk of an egg because new lives are born during the event. The balance of the three elements are important. I’d also like to keep in mind what Carl Orff mentioned. That is, the balance of the “emotional approach,” “auditive sensitivity” and “will to study with a social attitude” is also important.

Q : What is your plan for Korean music or more exactly, for the development of Korean “sound”?

A : The Festival continues even after its end. I’m now in charge of the Festival so what I can do is to do my best to achieve success at the end. I believe that this work enriches me and makes me grow at this moment. There is a world I dream of. In that world, all Koreans hearing the name “Jae-cheon Park” naturally remind themselves of a “person working on Korean music.”

Jeonju International Sori Festival http://www.sorifestival.com/