"All Together Now" [Lilypad, Cambridge - 6.25. 9 PM]

If you are interested in finding what contemporary artists of Korean descent are up to, here is your chance this month. 

According to the organizer of the show, "All Together Now" is a multimedia event bringing together artists from NYC and Boston, and making space for women, people of color, and LGBTQ in collaboration with allies. 

In the upcoming show at Boston (Lilypad, Cambridge - 6.25. 9 PM), it will feature three talented artists of Korean-American heritage: Hye Yun Park is a writer, actor, film producer, and comedian living in Brooklyn, NYC. Diana Oh is a musician, actor, and performance artist living in Brooklyn, NYC. Jane Park is a musician living in Boston, MA. For more details about the performers, check out their profiles. Tickets available through the FB page at  https://www.facebook.com/events/277260275942002/

Elegy for the Fallen, Light beyond Abyss [4.30.2016 Sat 7PM - St. Paul's Church]

A gentle reminder about our upcoming concert. It will be at the beautiful space at the St. Paul's church of Brookline, just a block away in the neighborhood. Check out the amazing performers lined up:

This is a paid concert; tickets are available online here. To find more about the concert, please check out its FB event page.

Jihye Lee Orchestra being released soon!

A while ago, KACF and some of us became sponsors of Jihye Lee’s kickstarter project. The project was successfully funded, and after months of hard work, she is about to release her first album. (and probably first ever of its kind by a Korean female jazz artist?) You may check out a tune from the CD at youtube. (the track is titled Sewol marking the 2nd year anniversary of the tragic incident that claimed hundreds of innocent teenagers as well as teachers.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WIT1vVByZk

Voice of Harmony [May 14 Sat 7:30 PM at KCB]

This is in from our friends at KCB: 

On Saturday May 14, the Korean Church of Boston will be hosting a “Voice of Harmony Concert” to benefit our sister church in need.  Previously, thanks to your help, we have been able to successfully sponsor “a benefit concert for Syrian Refugees” and “a benefit for North Korean refugees” to contribute to their aid.  We hope that this benefit concert will also be used to support our neighbors.

The concert program includes classical and jazz works by Mozart, Piazzola, Gershwin, and Strauss, spanning diverse genres for the enjoyment of many.

In addition, the impressive lineup of performers includes winners of several national and international competitions, and those actively involved in various areas of music. We look forward to their demonstration of the depth and beauty of their artistic mastery.

The first half of the concert will showcase the crossover from classical pieces such as Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante to semi-classical pieces such as Gershwin’s Summer Time.  The second half will demonstrate the beauty of jazz in Piazzola’s masterpiece the “Four Season of Buenos Aires” as well as other music performed by a piano trio an a jazz ensemble.

You may purchase the ticket on-line at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/voices-of-harmony-concert-tickets-24551621561  

News from our friends - Spring 2016

Seungho Jang (bass) is graduating from Berklee with a Master’s degree this summer, but before that he had some business to finish. One of them was to play as a member of the Berklee Global Jazz Ambassadors group in the Bimhuis Amsterdam, winning the first prize! Also shown in the photo is the drummer Noam Israeli (far right) who played in Seungho Jang Quintet last Summer. Congratulations. How do you cash a big check like that?

Seungho was earlier this year captured on the stage with the legendary saxophonist Joe Lovano. Sweet.

Terra Han, the gayageum player who headlined the Korean Cultural Festival in 2013 is busy in Korea and in the US. Recently she sent a news of giving a seminar in KAIST, the Korean Advanced Institute of Technology. She also performed several versions of Gayageum. 

Benefit concert for the Syrian Refugees [Nov 21 Sat 7:30 PM]

Our friends at Hwaum Boston Chamber Orchestra is giving the benefit concert for the Syrian refugees. This Saturday at 7:30 PM at the Korean Church of Boston, 32 Harvard Street, Brookline. The program will include Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and Haydn’s Symphony No 44 (“Mourn”). The suggested donation of $20 will go toward the relief effort of the displaced Syrians. 

 

Broadway in Seoul - Musical [Nov 14, Sat. 7 PM]

Broadway-to-Bosotn Theater company (B2B) and the Korean Cultural Foundation are presenting the musical “Broadway In Seoul” featuring Ryan Hill, Hilary Mayer, Heather Lee, Shannon Ignatius. It will also feature tenor Jyoungwoun Choi and Gayageum-singer Sukkyeong Won. It will be at the ECC main chapel, Nov 14, Saturday 7 pm. The ticket is $20 and can be purchased at the door on the day of the event. Discounts may be available for students and seniors. Please inquire at info@koreancultureboston.org . 

News from our musician friends [Fall 2015]

Michael-Thomas Foumai, whose chamber piece Village Music was one of the highlights of our recent Gala Concert, had his orchestral piece performed by the prestigious American Composers Orchestra in their annual SONiC festival (Sound of a new century - Zankell Hall ) during its Grand Finale. The concert featured five pieces by American composers, all World premiers, and Dr. Foumai’s work, titled “The Spider Thread”- "recounted a rapturous and frantic dash for spiritual salvation—an orchestral high-wire climb, before the thread snaps.” according to the director of the concert.

Many of KACF friends would remember TeRra Han, the main performer (Gayageum and Dance) of our first Gala Concert in 2013. Ms Han has since played at prestigious stages around the world, in Paris, Tokyo, Beizing and Seoul, and most recently, last October, gave a full Sanjo concert at the Andrew Weill recital hall at the famed Carnegie Hall.

 

You may check out the review of the event by the local press in NYC here.

Also have a taste of the full(!) Sanjo — probably the same piece as given at the Carnegie Hall, as captured from a recent concert in Tokyo here:

KACF Gala Concert 2015 [Oct 17 Sat]

Click on the poster of the event below to visit the archive of the whole evening: 

To view the photos from the event, click on the image below:

Scenes from the first rehearsal of the pieces

Oyuwa - a concerto for 25-string Gayageum

Village Music by Michael-Thomas Foumai

Journey to the Beautiful Future - The Hwaum Boston Chamber's Fall Concert [10.3.2015 Sat 7:30 pm]

 

The Hwaum Boston Chamber's Fall Concert presents 'Journey to the Beautiful Future’ on October 3rd, Saturday - 7:30 PM @ Granoff Music Center, Tufts University.

 

The program includes the very popular Dvorak’s New World Symphony and Sibelius' Violin Concerto (Violin: Eunae Kim).  The ticket is $30 per person. Further inquiries, please contact  sooihnee@comcast.net

Here is the message from the president of the Hwaum Boston Chamber Orchestra:

Dearest Friends,
I’m so excited to welcome you all to what promises to be a memorable night.
As you may know, this year marks the 70th anniversary of Korea’s independence and the division between North and South Korea.
With hopes and wishes of being peacefully united once again, the Hwaum Boston Orchestra has been performing a series of concerts throughout the year called the “Peninsular of Korea 2015.” It began with the concert “We Overcome” with the talented and blind pianist Ms. Noh, followed by the “Peace Concert” with the Boston Korean Chorus. Tonight, we’ll be closing out our grand series with our concert “Journey to the Beautiful Future.”  

Summer Jazz Music!

*** Due to unexpected vocal cord ailment of the singer, the concert will feature the NEC guitarist Xiongguan Zhang in her place. We appreciate Xiongguan for accommodating the change at such a short notice! 

It is Summer!

We are co-sponsoring an Evening of Jazz music (“Summer - Peace - Jazz - Love”) on August 15th, Sat. (7 PM) at the Children’s Chapel of ECC, KCB.
The concert is free with a suggested donation of 10 $ and its program will include beautiful standards such as Embraceable You, But Not for Me, After You’ve gone and So in Love.

Vocalist Carrie Furniss hails from Chicago, Illinois. She completed her bachelor's degree in studio music and jazz at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. She is currently finishing the master's degree in jazz vocal performance at the New England Conservatory.

Kyumin Shim, a young jazz pianist of both sensitivity and swing, started out at the prestigious Seoul Institute of The Arts (SITA) in Korea on a scholarship as a prize winner in its Jazz Music Competition. Since 2009, he has studied at Berklee college of music on a scholarship. He moved on to New England Conservatory and obtained the Master of Music degree.  Over the years, his mentors/collaborators included Jazz luminaries such as Joanne Brackeen, Danilo Pérez, Ed Tomassi, Hal Crook, Dave Santoro, Alain Mallet, Fred Hersch, Jason Moran, Jerry Bergonzi and Ken Schaphorst. He is in demand both as a soloist and as pianist of various ensembles at festivals such as the Newport Jazz festival(10), Club Rex in Toronto, Montreal Jazz Festival(11’, 13’), and the Jazz Festival at Martha’s vineyard. In the Boston area, he performed at Wally’s jazz cafe, Regatta bar, Lily pad as well as at Smalls jazz club, Shapeshifter lab and Jazz Gallery in New York. 

News from our musician friends [Summer 2015]

Many of our musician friends who performed in Oasis Cafe or other sponsored events have graduated, moved on and are busy building their career. As of this summer, we have many great news from them!

I-Yun Chung, the leader of the group Aires de Argentina, who brought exciting world music to early days of the Oasis cafe series, had moved to San Francisco a while back, and is now performing as the pianist to the group Tangonero. They expect a CD coming out soon. She also got married recently. Congratulations!

Seungho Jang, who graduated from Berklee recently is now starting the Master’s course at NEC on a scholarship. During his recent visit to Korea, he teamed up with Kiwoong Choi (drums) and Jaehun Kang (piano - now at the Juilliard School of Music) for the old-times’ sake. 

Both Kiwoong and Jaehoon seem very happy performing together.

Sumie Kaneko, the Japanese Koto and Shamisen player as well as a superb fusion jazz singer, has recently performed and conversed with an enthusiastic audience at the Museum of Fine Arts. A class act, adding some prestige to her busy resume!

Yumi Bae, who had played for us on several occasions performed as the featured soloist with the Boston University Symphony Orchestra last Spring. The piece was Bloch’s Schelomo, a notoriously difficult rhapsody, but beautifully pulled off.

Kudos to Eunhye Jeong, the leader of Sigimsae, the Berklee - Korean fusion group that had given us the memorable opening number at KCF60. After her graduation, she put out her first CD. It is the fruit of her successful crowd-funding campaign. 

TeRra Han, the Kayageum player, has been busy back in Korea for the past year with CDs and performances at the prestigious stages in Korea, Japan and China. This Fall, she will continue her series of full Sanjo performance, including a recital at the Carnegie Hall!

Echae Kang, the jazz violinist, has been busy back in Korea, and there is a growing recognition of her talent. In addition to the duo activities (Echae EnRoute) around the performance scene at the famed Hong-Dae area, she had a series of tour concerts around Italy earlier this Summer.  

Eunae Anna Koh, the NEC violinist, who also performed at several events held at ECC chapel, recently placed the 2nd winner at the prestigious Michael Hill International Violin Competition held in New Zealand. You can “hear" the Brahms concerto flowing out of the photo below.

Hiro Honshuku, the veteran jazz musician, and his group Racha Fora have been actively performing in this area as well as in Japan, and they had a new CD out this Summer. It is a tribute to Miles Davis.

 

We feel very lucky to have had these talented people for our stage.

Oasis Cafe : Rina Jo Trio [July - 11]

Oasis Cafe Music Night present Jazz and American Standards with Rina Jo Trio on July 11th. 7 PM at ECC.

Rina Jo Trio
RJT is a jazz trio consisting of three international Berklee musicians. Pianist, Rina, comes from South Korea and is accompanied by bassist, Marcelo, from Brazil as well as drummer, Kelvin, from Indonesia. Because of our diverse backgrounds and influences, our music becomes very unique and eclectic. In this set, we will be featuring vocalist, Catey Esler, from Chicago, who brings a captivating sultry yet sweet sound to the group. Together, we will be playing some standards and two of Rina’s own compositions, entitled "Heaven" and "Not Yet.” 
The set will also include beloved American standards such as “Bewitched”, “You are too beautiful” and “My Way” as well as jazz classics “So What” (Miles Davis) and Billie’s Bounce (Charlie Parker).

The set will include the following: 

1) Bewitched By Richard Rodgers/ arranged by Minjin Rina Jo
2) You are too beautiful by Rodgers/Hart
3) Just friend by Klemmer/Lewis
4) I remember Clifford by Benny Golson
5) My Way by Gilles Thibaud
6) So What by Miles Davis
7) Billies’e Bounce by Charlie Parker
8) Heaven, composed by Minjin Rina Jo

More Scenes from "Musical Ladies"

Scenes from "Musical Ladies" performance