Singapore, 11 August 2016 (Thursday) – Singapore Chinese Orchestra (SCO) presents its first cross-cultural Korean-themed concert in collaboration with established Korean composer, Cecilia Heejeong Kim. This concert will be conducted by SCO music director Tsung Yeh, together with Korean band wHOOL, Pansori performers Park In-hye and Hwang Min-wang, Peking opera vocalist Huang Ping and k-pop vocalists Lee Bokyung (also known as Chai Khan) and Kim Hyun-su. Korea, New Waves, will be held on 2 and 3 September 2016 (Friday and Saturday), 8pm at SCO Concert Hall.
Cecilia Heejeong Kim is a professor at the Department of Composition and New Media at SangMyung University in Seoul. From 2010-2011, she was a visiting fellow at the University of London Goldsmith’s ICCE (Institute of Creative and Cultural Entrepreneurship) and is currently serving as a council member of Arts Council and an advisory PR member of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea. She graduated from Yonsei University in 1990 with a Bachelor in Music Composition. She received her M.M. and Ph.D. in Music at the University of Pennsylvania where she studied with George Crumb, James Primosch and Richard Wernick. Cecilia Heejeong Kim moved to Boston to do her post-doctoral research fellowship at Harvard in 1996.
Cecilia Heejong Kim’s music has been performed worldwide and she is also a stage director and producer for more than twenty mega events. Her recent commissions include from The Cross Sound Music Festival in Alaska and KAMSA in San Francisco. She has produced various functional scores such as the title song of the Asian Games 2002 and Korean traditional musical theatre celebrating the World Cup Games in 2002.
The concert will commence with Cecilia Heejeong Kim’s Chinese orchestra version world premiere piece Arirang Blossoms. This piece is composed based on the popular Korean folksong Arirang. This song illustrates a woman’s longing for her lover which is expressed through orchestral music.
Madam Suro will be performed by Korean group, wHOOL, a Korean fusion band established in 2003. The members – Choi Yoon-sang and Yi Myong-mo will be performing on the janggo and electronic drums, creating an interesting blend between the traditional and contemporary percussion instruments. Madam Suro refers to a female character from the Korean folk tale that was kidnapped by the sea dragon. In order to rescue her, her husband pleaded for all villages to beat the rocks by the sea in a unique rhythm.
Cecilia Heejong Kim’s GUT: Chasing Five Ghosts- Series III is inspired by Korean shaman ritual which encompasses a variety of Korean indigenous religious belief. Shaman acts as an intercessory between a spirit entity and human beings. Female pansori performer Park In-hye will take on the role of the shaman to conduct a ritual whereas the male pansori performer Hwang Min-wang will sing an incantation that originated from the southern island of Jeju. Peking opera vocalist Huang Ping will also perform in this much anticipated piece.
At the finale, audience can get to enjoy an arrangement of familiar Korean pop songs in K-Pop Medley, which will be sung by Korean singers Chai Khan and Kim Hyun-su. wHOOL members – Yi Myong-mo and Choi Sung-woo will also perform the Korean ribbon hat dance.
Conductor: Tsung Yeh Composer: Cecilia Pansori: Park In-hye Pansori: Hwang Min-wang
Heejeong Kim
Peking Opera (qingyi): Janggo/Electronic Drum: wHOOL K-pop vocal: Lee Bokyung K-pop vocal: Kim Hyun-su
Huang Ping (Choi Sung-woo, Choi Yoon-sang, Yi Myong-mo) (Chai Khan)
Concert details:
Korea, New Waves
Date: 2 & 3 September 2016 (Friday & Saturday)
Time: 8pm
Venue: SCO Concert Hall
Ticket prices (before SISTIC fees): $70, $60, $45/$30*, $30/$20*
Tickets from SISTIC
Please contact Media Officers for more information, photographs and interviews.
Media Contacts:
Toh Wei Lin
Executive (Marketing Communications)
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
DID: 6557 4037 / 8121 6966
Koh Mui Leng
Assistant Manager (Marketing Communications)
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
DID: 6557 4047 / 9833 0556