Kim So Ra, a Korean percussionist, creates “the sound of the stream water” using a Korean calabash at David Rubenstein Atrium, in New York City, on Sep. 19, 2019. (Min Ji Koo/NYC News Service)
Kim So Ra, a Korean percussionist, creates “the sound of the stream water” using a Korean calabash at David Rubenstein Atrium, in New York City, on Sep. 19, 2019. (Min Ji Koo/NYC News Service)
The sound of falling water spread out over the hall at Lincoln Center. The gentle sound of a string instrument made a harmony with the sound of water. New Yorkers started to crane their necks to see the source of the sound. The soft string sound was made from Gayageum, a Korean zither, which was tuned for that night’s performance. Cheerful drumming and high-toned piping also weaved dramatic music. The sound of Janggu, a Korean percussion, led all other instruments with the delicate changes of rhythms.
Sep. 19, 2019 – at David Rubenstein Atrium in Lincoln Center, in New York City –Korean traditional musicians have a rehearsal. (Min Ji Koo/NYC News Service)
Click: A sign of rain by Kim So Ra.
Click: Kim So Ra at 2019 WOMEX.
Four Korean traditional musicians performed “A sign of rain” and other Korean songs at David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center, in New York City on September 19. It was a part of Korean percussionist Kim So Ra’s US tour after she was recognized by WOMEX - 2018 World Music Expo.
World Music Expo is the biggest international music conference, which is held in every October by WOMEX, the group for international musicians in German. This Expo works as a networking platform for worldwide music industries. Many musicians have had chances to make known their music in other countries through the Expo, and four Korean traditional music players, Kim So Ra, Lim Ji Hye, Hyun Seung Hun, Lee Hye Jong, and So Ra Kim, came to the US in September 2019.
“Until now, we just did not know how to step into the US market,” says Kim. She defined that winning the award at WOMEX was the chance to learn how to connect with people in American music industry. “I hope audience in the US knows how attractive Korean music is. Especially, Korean traditional music has highly-developed rhythm systems.”
Two Korean percussionists, Kim So Ra and Hyun Seung Hun, play a solo part for percussions at David Rubenstein Atrium, in New York City, on Sep. 19, 2019. (Min Ji Koo/NYC News Service)
Cynthia Chen, one of the audience members, showed full of joy on her face after listening to Kim So Ra’s performance. “I can feel my heartbeats with the music,” Chen said.
Chen said, “I am a big fan of a Korean-pop band, BTS, and they have a kicking song named IDOL. I’ve heard that the song used Korean traditional music, so I came here.” However, Chen also said that she didn’t have a great expectation on Kim So Ra’s performance. She did not have any interest in Korean traditional music per se. “…… but, now Korean traditional rhythms keep lingering in my ears forever.”
Click: IDOL by BTS on YouTube.
Kim So Ra said that most of her audience in her US tour had no experience about Korean traditional music before coming to her performances. However, Kim said that Korean traditional music has a great weapon to captivate Americans’ hearts.
“In Korean traditional music, we even have 48-beat system which is hardly found in other cultures. Using diverse rhythm is an essential part of Korean traditional music, and the music with strong rhythm systems straightforwardly strikes into listeners’ hearts,” says Kim. She says, “Unlike melodies that your brain memorizes, beats are what your body directly feels.”
“Let yourself into Korean traditional rhythms. I hope my US tour can be one of the performances that blaze the trail for following Korean artists in the US market,” said Kim. Kim So Ra pointed out that Korean music has great potentialities to attracts American audience, and now they are stepping into the US market.
“[Kim So Ra] is not the only Korean traditional musician we invited,” says Shades Adeyemo, a coordinator of David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center. “We invite musicians all over the world through our connections, so people can enjoy multi-cultural music.”
Kim So Ra’s US tour will be over on Sep. 28, in Bloomington, IN, but there is another opportunity to listen to Korean traditional music at Lincoln Center. The four female Korean traditional musicians will play Korean old music with a Korean percussion, Korean strings, and vocals on Nov. 7. The performance is one of the free programs offered by David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center. More details about the upcoming performance can be checked the webpage of Lincoln Center.