Deconstruction and Rebuilding of Cultural Heritage Through Music

Throughout history, we have deconstructed and rebuilt our cultural heritage. As a composer or a performer, one often confronts decisions with how to interpret historical and musical vocabularies, and how it leads to our own original voices as artists. Three Korean composers will share their original music and voices.

Presenting elements of music with comparisons between the East and West, Dr. Jeong-Seok Lee will demonstrate the distinct differences on “Shigimsae” (the Korean way of ornamentation in music) and play his oboe. He will also discuss the contributions of Shigimsae to western contemporary music. To further highlight the differences, Dr. Lee will be joined by the world renowned artist, gamin, to play the piri, a traditional Korean double reed instrument.

Composer Paul Yeon Lee will focus on his own music, Concertino for Piri and Chamber Orchestra, composed in 2016. Concertino for Piri and Chamber Orchestra was commissioned and premiered by the Korean Symphony Orchestra in February 2017. Mr. Lee will discuss examples of piri shigimsae that he has used in his contemporary work, which are very popular in traditional Korean music.

Lastly, composer Jeeyoung Kim will share her composition, Tryst for oboe, cello, and gayageum with a female voice. Commissioned by Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble in 2002, Tryst has been performed worldwide. Dr. Kim’s composition demonstrates how she embraces Korean history, culture, and literature in her music, and how she has used traditional Korean music in a contemporary way.