Heungboga: Exploring Korean Traditional Pansori and Folk Songs
18 November 19:00
Holywell Music Room
Paris K-Vox Festival and Chae Soo-jung Sound Group

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 19:00 – 20:00 GMT

Holywell Music Room

Holywell Street Oxford OX1 3SB

The Faculty of Asian and Middle Eastern Studies presents:

Heungboda: Exploring Korean Traditional Pansori and Folk Songs

introduced by Paris K-Vox Festival and Chae Soo-jung Sound Group

Experience the rich cultural heritage of Korean traditional music, as musicians bring these age-old tunes to life. Come and be a part of Heungboga!

The K-Vox (Korean Voice) Festival (Directors : Han Yumi & Hervé Péjaudier) was launched in Paris, France in 2012, with the slogan of « Globalizing and Popularizing Pansori», marked its 12th anniversary this year.

Following the publication of the traditional pansori « Sugungga (2012) » and « Simcheongga (2023) », this year « Heungboga » was translated into French and published in Paris (éd. Imago).

As part of the French publishing celabration of « Dongpyeonje Heungboga (edited by Chae Soo-jung) », passed down by Park Nok-ju, Park Song-hee and Chae Soo-jung, we invited professor of KNUA (Korea National University of Arts, Seoul) with her sound Group « Chae Soojung Soridan » to introduce pansori transmitted orally since 17th centry, which has been designated as « Korea’s National Intangible Cultural Property No. 5 (1964) » and « UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (2003) » to English-speaking audiences interested in Korean traditional music and classical literature at Oxford University and the Korean Cultural Center in London.

« Chae Soojung Soridan » , a sound group formed to promote the beauty of Korean traditional music, led by Chae Soo-jung followed by her students will present a Daegeum (a Korean traditional instrument) solo, five short extracts of traditional pansori and the deep and profound sound of Namdo (the southern provinces of the Korean Peninsula) folk songs. In particular, there will be an opportunity to learn these songs first hand, for the audience.

1. Daegeum solo by Yu Suhwan (10m)

-« Cheongseong-gok » « A piece of music high-pitched sound »

A variation of Taepyeonga, the final song of the Gagok song cycle, Cheongseong Jajinhanip is played either as daegeum solo or danso solo. It is also known as Cheongseonggok, “cheongseong” meaning high-pitched sound ; jajinhanip is a Korean for Sakdaeyeop, which is a song in the Gagok cycle. The daegeum solo version has delicate and exquisite ornaments, so it no longer sounds like a mere accompaniment, but an independent piece of instrumental music.

2.Five short extracts of traditional pansori (45m) : buk drum (soribuk) by Gyun Eunkyung

1) « Pile Song » (Simcheongga) with the Gayageum par Sim Yuna

2) « Tiger is coming » (Sugungga) by Shin Yunju

3) « Set Fire » (Jeokbyeokga) by Chae Soojung

4) « Love Song » (Chunhyangga) by Ham Suyeon & Jang Yerim

5) « I’d like to go » (Chunhyangga) by Ham Suyeon

6) « Song of The Pumpkin » (Heungboga) par Chae Soojung

3.Folk songs of the southern style (Namdo Minyo) (15m) :

Song : Chae Soojung, Ham Suyeon, Jang Yerim, Shin Yunju

Daegeum : Yu Su-hwan

Gayageum : Sim Yuna

Gosu (Buk drum) : Gyun Eunkyung)

-« Camellia Song (Dongbaek taryeong) »

-« Arirang Medley (Arirang Yeongok) »

4.Let’s learn « pansori » (10min)