To be very honest with you, before receiving this very kind (and surprising!) invitation to be part of “Journey to Korean Music”, you could easily call me almost a complete ignorant, as far as Korean traditional music was concerned. I admit that painfully. Apart from being familiar with some of the rather widely recognizable Korean jazz musicians and singers, I had no idea what to expect from this weeklong intensive exploration of Korean culture. Being trapped for long time in the box called “western music”, I was eagerly awaiting my first visit to Korea!

So the journey began.

My first stop was couple of days before the official visit. I had a great pleasure (and a lot of fun) to visit Jarasum International Jazz Festival. One of the biggest and most important jazz festivals in Asia, turned out to be an incredible undertaking with hundreds of thousands of people enjoying jazz in surroundings of a beautiful island. Just 40 minutes away from Seoul, for three days, this breathtaking place was the capitol of jazz!! Multitude of outdoor stages, all filled with fantastic music left me very content and full of energy to start the “real” journey.

Coming back to Seoul on the bus from Gapyeong, I had with my eyes, ears and heart open to the new sounds and sights to come. As it turned out later, everything that happened during that week completely exceeded my expectation. It would take several pages to describe everything that happened during those incredible days in Korea, so I will try to focus on the most vivid memories.

With amazing support and help from all KAMS(Korea Arts Management Service) team ladies, who were with us almost all the time, making sure that everything goes smooth, we were smoothly taken from place to place in a private bus. By “we” I mean a small group of music professionals coming from many parts of the world - a very diverse group, which turned out to be a bunch of fun-loving people with great knowledge, experience and sense of humor.

During the first two days, two major moments were: watching the “Intangible Asset No. 82” and witnessing the Shaman Ritual. The first was a great story telling and documentation of an inner drive to explore and discover Korean shaman – a beautiful narrative about amazing music and people. One of them, Il Dong BAE(who met us after the screening), I found especially intriguing. A pansori singer, who spent seven years singing (howling!) at the waterfall in order to build his voice, made an incredible impression on all of us.

The latter, was like stepping into another world (and into a very private world). Witnessing Hwanghaedo Gut, was daring and demanding. It was also shocking and passionate. I was slowly taken into the depths of the ritual. Step by step we all became part of it with the climax having all of us in a crazy dance, wearing traditional cloths and forgetting about where we were and who we were. It was like time travel into the core of humanity.

And then came another discovery: Geomungo. This time we were taken into the exquisite surroundings of Changdeokgung Palace and in the absolutely charming Bukchon Village’s old traditional houses to hear a diverse and detailed introduction to the history and technical details of this superbly sounding instrument. But it was all about the performers! I was stunned by the improvisational qualities of the musicians who painted a completely new and electrifying picture of Korean traditional music.

First - Geomungo Factory, with their very fresh and contemporary approach showing an intimate rapport between the members of the ensemble. Beautiful music performed by beautiful people with such a sincere respect for the audience!

Then Yoon-Jeong HEO. A strong personality, heard in every sound. It was a true honor to be part of her music. She is not only a perfectionist but also very open-minded and explorative artists. Getting to know her music was one of the most important moments during the journey. She plays with such intensity and ease - a true artist. Here, I would also like to also mention another highlight of that afternoon: a delightful duo of Suk-Joo LEE playing ‘piri’ with Kyung-So PARK on Gayageum – another spiritual feast.

Walking from house to house we had also a chance to experience different wonders of Korean tea making, which was not only an addition to music but an integral part of the whole experience. And talking about tea. I must write couple of words about Korean food!

This journey was not only a discovery of the sensational music but also a treat for the palate! It was an ongoing feast. Every meal was a celebration and brought us all into another dimension. There is no exaggeration in that at all: Korean cuisine is profoundly tasty, healthy and diverse. From basic Kimchi and Bibimbap to the plethora of seafood and marvels of delicious Barbecue. A perfect accompaniment to the overall impression of Korea and the one that you can’t miss when you there!

The whole week was perfectly balanced. We all felt very special having this lifetime opportunity to witness such a magnificent culture. The choice of concerts did not leave any regrets. Being such a small group of people, it was as if taking part in very private and intimate concerts – a completely unique experience.

It was a true journey - a discovery of beauty and depth of completely new musical territories. A perfect introduction to the culture of this exciting country where tradition is so much cultivated - a beautiful tradition kept by very modest and down-to-earth people. Something, that doesn’t happen too often unfortunately.

It was a great lesson, food for thought and an eye-opening experience that helped me to understand Korean traditional music and made me hungry to learn and explore more. And it is always all about the people. I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to be part of it and to meet you all.

Journey to Korean Music 2011 (7th-12th Oct 2011, Korea)

One-week intensive journey through Korean music. The concerts are staged in palaces and teahouses as well as theatres to accentuate the uniquely Korean elements running through the broad selection of traditional and contemporary melodies. In addition to the entertainment factor, networking opportunities linked to the concerts give participants the chance to meet several Korean music professionals and make new friends.

organized by Korea Arts Management Service
supported by Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
in associate with PAMS(Performing Arts Market in Seoul), The 52nd Korean Folk Art Festival