The Same River, Twice - Sound of Korea in Flux [9-30-Sunday 5 PM]

KACF is co-sponsoring a Sunday afternoon concert with our friends at ECC. The concert will feature the group “Saawee”, an eclectic trio of musicians with firm background in Korean musical tradition but equally versed in experimental and improvisational collaboration. Special guest Do Yeon Kim, the Gayageum virtuoso, will also join.

Earlier this year, NYTimes gathered five young immigrant artists as panelists for a forum titled "Immigrant Artists and the American Dream”. This is what Sita, who is to play violin in the concert, as one of the panelists had to say:

“What people don’t always recognize is that we are all benefiting from the rich cultural diversity. Behind every culture is the influence of our neighboring cultures and on a broader spectrum every culture commonly carries the most humanistic side of us. As a musician, it is my duty to invite all musicians to come together and create art that’s ground-building and celebrates culture. Because, when all else collides, music unites. Instruments, for example, reflect that. String and percussion instruments show that human side of us: our common thread and our heartbeat.” 

The title (and the theme) of the concert derives from Greek philosopher Heraclitus: "No man ever steps in the same river twice". While K-Pop is getting ever popular in the global stage, it is just a thriving branch that grew on the fertile bed of Korea’s musical tradition which is deeper, wider, and ever-changing. The musicians/performers featured in this concert have their musical ancestry going back centuries, yet they are ever stepping on new paths through experiments and collaboration with musicians from different cultures and genres. The river flows and artists evolve. We invite the audience to join and cheer for their quest.

More about the Performers: 

 

Do Yeon Kim’s first album, GaPi, made with pianist Chase Morrin, was recently the finalist for a Korean Music Award, the Korea’s Grammy. She was also selected as an 2018 Emerging Artist by the St. Botolph Club Foundation. 

Violinist Sita Chay is the first and only Korean artist to ever win the Latin Grammy. Because of Sita’s unique ability to improvise and absorb different cultural music she has been in demand for versatile world music scenes including Afro-Caribbean music, Korean folk music, Bulgarian dance music, Flamenco and Indian raga. Most of her performances and compositions involve improvisational aspects and a combination of old and new techniques from both western and eastern music. 
Percussionist and Performance artist Jihye Kim has BA and first MA in Korean traditional percussion at Korean National University of Arts and MA in ethnomusicology from University of London, UK. She was awarded the Grand Prize at the KBS Korean Traditional Music Award as a member of “Ensemble Sinawi” group in 2012. She is currently a member of the London-based band “Urban Sound” and the group “Saawee”. 
Percussionist and Dancer Insoo Park has a PHD in literature from Korea University, MS in Korean traditional mask dance from the Korea National Academy of Arts, as well as being the Bongsan Mask Dancer (Korean national intangible cultural Asset No. 17). He collaborated with the world renowned percussionist Duksoo Kim as a mask dance soloist. He has also led the creative mask dance company, Dodam Dodam incorporating traditional dance language and contemporary philosophy into the artistic mix.

Free admission. Snacks and beverages will be served after the concert for conversing among the artists and guests. 

9.30. (Sunday) 5 PM. 

ECC chapel, 32 Harvard Street, Brookline. 

KACF sponsors Festivities for the Lunar New Year Celebrations at the Boston Children's Museum

KACF in a partnership with Korean Paper Art Group (Mija Yun, dir.) and the Boston Children’s Museum, sponsors the fun during the museum’s Lunar New Year Celebration. Our staffs were there to demonstrate Korean traditional games and capture the fun for children and parents alike. 

For more info, visit the museum’s web page about the event. 

 

 

Friendly announcement for All Together Now, a multimedia event [May 27, 9 PM - Lily Pad, Cambridge]

Our friend organization, All Together Now, has confirmed its 5th installment (ATN #5) of multimedia events on Saturday, May 27 at 9pm at the Lily Pad in Cambridge! ATN is a multidisciplinary event series that makes space for women, people of color, and LGBT performers in partnership with allies; and combines performances from Boston and NYC in Boston to enhance the artistic dialogue and help artists build connections. This time, the show features a Boston-based Korean artist Poor Eliza (Jane Park) as part of the act.

more details =====

ATN #5 will be an engaging mix of music, magic, video, and performance art! Artists for ATN #5 include Jenee Halstead and Mark Lipman a performance duo of music, storytelling, and expressive movement; Zayde Buti, video and performance artist; street magician Just Felice; and emotive, rock band Poor Eliza (Jane Park). Tickets and more information about the artists can be found at alltogertherbos.com.

One major goal for this event series is to compensate artists for their work. Says Artistic Director Anna Rae, “Our society consistently devalues and underpays artists, while simultaneously relying on artists for meaning, reflection, entertainment, insight, comfort, and rich ideological and experiential spaces.” This year ATN was awarded the Live Arts Boston Grant from the Boston Foundation, which plays a critical role in “being able to support artists in creating and presenting their work.”

All Together Now, installments 6, 7, and 8 will be presented in the fall.

Mark Lipman and Jenee Halstead have been sharing the stage for years as singing partners on each other's original music. The idea of collaborating on a project together had been floating around for a couple of years, and they're bringing it to life in a set that will combine story-telling, song, and elements of expressive movement. Together they are exploring the worlds of activism, desire, queer identity, the wounded healer and what it means to be an artists and a human in a world that want to commodify and control the human experience.

Zayde Buti is a performance artist and musician who writes, produces and performs weird art music. He also produces and performs in even weirder music videos. Zayde has performed live in venues across New England and has made street performances throughout the Boston area. 

Felice Ling: if she looks familiar, you might have seen her working on the streets of Harvard Square. Occasionally funny, often awkward, and always astonishing, she has performed in Memphis, Chicago, and Cambridge. Before she was a street performer, though, she was a magician performing in her family living room nearly every Thanksgiving for fifteen years. She's not flashy, she's not snazzy - she's Just Felice.

Poor Eliza (Jane Park) is a Boston songwriter who loves to explore themes from her Tennessee upbringing with the sounds and rhythms of alt-country and indie-rock. She has played all over the Boston area, and is excited to try new things and meet more artists! Her latest self-released title “Ghost Town” is the tale of a townie who never leaves their hometown.

"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.

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  

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. 

 

KACF co-sponsors the tribute concert for Dongjun Yun, the famous Korean Poet

This event is now scheduled for [Mar 21 Sat 7:30 PM] 

The concert is to be held at ECC Children’s chapel at the Korean Church of Boston, 32 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA.

Free admission.

For more information about the performers and previous concerts, visit the organizer’s web site at http://www.snowingmap.com.

For information about Dong-ju Yun, one of the most beloved poets in Korea, here is the Wiki entry about his brief life. 

서시(序詩):

죽는 날까지 하늘을 우러러 한 점 부끄럼 없기를

잎새에 나는 바람에도 나는 괴로와 했다

별을 노래하는 마음으로 모든 죽어가는 것을 사랑해야지

그리고 나에게 주어진 길을 걸어가야겠다

오늘 밤에도 별이 바람에 스치운다

The proem:

Till my last, to suffer not a blot of shame on looking up at heaven,

My heart has been tormented by mere rustlings of the leaves.

In a spirit of chanting stars, I shall love all the moribund lives.

Then, let me walk on my path given.

The wind whisks by stars as ever on this even.

a Teaser for the KACF Evening of Dance and Music [11.15.Sat 5PM]

On November 15th Saturday at 5 PM, KACF will have a concert of dance and chamber music. Here are the superb classical musicians Eunae Koh (v) and JeeHae Ahn (p) rehearsing some of the pieces they will perform. 

An evening of Klezmer music

KACF is co-sponsoring an evening of klezmer music, Saturday, October 25, 7:00 to 8:30. The band will be Too Klez for Comfort which includes Mike Neufeld, sax, Lisa Geller, bass and vocals, Steve Rauch, clarinet, Isaac Gibbons, drums (not Jay Rauch as shown), Phil Brown, keyboard, John Bassett, cornet, and Tom Rubenoff, trombone. Admission is free.  There will be refreshments. And there will be dancing! For more information: www.koreancultureboston.org.

Memorial Concert for the Victims of Seweol Ferry Accident

M-Concert III : 서남표 MIT 명예교수 - 진정한 교육 이야기 [3-23-Sun 5:30pm]

KACF is presenting the third M-Concert with the distinguished Nam Pyo Suh, the Ralph E. & Eloise F. Cross Professor, Emeritus at M.I.T, and the former president of KAIST (Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology). The M-concert series is conceived and organized by Dr. Yoo Taek Lee of Boston University, School of Management. 

The evening’s informal discussion will be largely on Professor Suh’s experience in the academia and research institutions both in the US and in Korea and his personal views on education.

It will be held in the Children's Chapel of ECC at KCB (32 Harvard Street, Brookline) at 5:30 PM Sunday. For inquiry, please contact Professor Lee. 

I

Korean Art in MFA

A nice introduction about the representation of Korean Art in the Boston area by Jane Portal, chair of the Art of Asia, Oceania and Africa at MFA:

Gallery Talk: Korean Art at MFA Boston with Jane Portal from The Korea Society on Vimeo.