KOREA FOUNDATION

REVIEW

ASEAN Music Meets Korean Instruments

From March 3-31, the ACH released a series of special music performances on its YouTube channel and on Naver TV, which blend traditional and folk songs from the ten ASEAN member states with elements of traditional Korean music. Under the title, ASEAN Music Meets Korean Instruments: ASEAN  SINAWI, the songs were performed by the Gyeonggi Sinawi Orchestra (led by music director Won Il) and arranged by prominent composers in the traditional Korean music scene (Jang Tae-pyeong, Cho Seung-hyun, Park Han-kyu, Kim Chang-hwan, Park Kyung-hoon). The songs tell an array of stories circling around the universal themes of life and love. “Radat” from Brunei Darussalam, “Bengawan Solo (Solo River)” from Indonesia, “Empat Dara (Four Girls)” from Malaysia, “Lupang Tinubuan (Homeland)” from the Philippines, or the “Bat Song” from Thailand, among others, offer a unique listening experience while also conveying a message of hope and solace amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you feel sad that you missed the concert series, we got good news for you! The performances are still available on the ACH’s YouTube channel and on Naver TV and will stay online until March 2023. Enjoy a fusion of ASEAN and Korean music!