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ASEAN Music Meets Korean Instruments: ASEAN×SINAWI

Every Wednesday, from March 3 through 31, the ASEAN Culture House (ACH) will be featuring a series of (online) fusion music performances entitled ASEAN x Sinawi that blend the traditional/folk music genres of ASEAN countries with elements of traditional Korean music. ASEAN x Sinawi was designed to maintain exchanges between Korea and ASEAN in the performing arts field despite the obstacles posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It offers a message of solidarity, solace, and hope through sounds that are familiar to and well-loved by Korean and ASEAN audiences. The 10 songs, one from each ASEAN member state, will embody universal themes (romantic love, marriage, happiness, nature and culture, spring festival, praising gods, nostalgia about one’s home, etc.) in the musical style of the song’s country. They will be performed by the Gyeonggi Sinawi Orchestra, which follows the “sinawi (type of improvisational ensemble music) spirit,” that reflects the fluidity and harmony of arrangements by prominent traditional Korean music composers under the leadership of Director Won Il. The performances are a rare opportunity to experience the convergence of Korean and ASEAN music and will be available online via the ACH’s YouTube and Naver TV channels.