[The Editors' Verdict] Let’s Expand Performances Utilizing Cultural Heritage Sites

On the 1st of last month, the 18th Seoul Spring Chamber Music Festival was held at the Yun Boseon Old House in Anguk-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. Between the performances of the first and second movements of French composer Maurice Ravel's Piano Trio, a 'kkaak' sound came from afar. Cellist Gary Hoffman glanced briefly in the direction of the crow's caw, then smiled and continued playing. Earlier, during the performance of Mauro Giuliani's "Grand Serenade for Flute and Guitar," a beverage prepared for the audience that day overheated in the sunlight and popped with a 'bang.' The audience murmured, but flutist Choi Na-kyung and guitarist Park Gyu-hee paid no mind and focused on their performance.

The classical concert held outdoors at the Yun Boseon Old House had a different atmosphere from performances in typical concert halls. In classical performances usually held in dedicated halls like the Seoul Arts Center Concert Hall, no noise is tolerated to maintain focus on the music. In winter, audience members wearing padded jackets are sometimes shunned due to the rustling noise they make. It is common to see disputes among audience members over even small noises in classical concert venues.

At the Yun Boseon Old House performance, one could feel a different sense of relaxation and generosity. It made one think that the true tranquility offered by classical music might exist precisely within such relaxation and generosity. This brought to mind the phrase "a handful of tranquility" from Colm (Brendan Gleeson), the protagonist of the film "The Banshees of Inisherin," which was released domestically last March... In the film, Colm is a violinist and composer who plays the violin peacefully and joyfully even in a noisy pub.

There are audience members who love classical music but feel uncomfortable with the solemn atmosphere typical of concert halls. For these audiences, if there were more outdoor performances where both audience and performers could be more relaxed, it might be a way to popularize classical music further. Utilizing cultural heritage sites that are usually difficult to access, like the Yun Boseon Old House, would also increase public interest. The Yun Boseon Old House is Historic Site No. 438.

The Mapo Cultural Foundation holds a classical music festival every autumn. They hold classical performances at various locations in the Mapo area, also promoting local cultural facilities. In 2020, cellist Yang Sung-won, a professor at Yonsei University, performed at "Gwangheungdang," a hanok cultural space next to the shrine of King Gongmin. At that time, there were many inquiries about what kind of place Gwangheungdang was. The shrine of King Gongmin was designated as a Registered Cultural Heritage in 2006.

The Deoksugung Seokjojeon Concert is also a good example showing the high public interest in cultural activities utilizing cultural heritage sites. The Seokjojeon Concert began in 2015 based on records that pianist Kim Young-hwan, active in the 1910s, performed for Emperor Gojong at Deoksugung Seokjojeon. It is considered as difficult to get tickets for as the Yun Boseon Old House concerts. The upcoming Seokjojeon Concert scheduled for the 28th was sold out immediately after ticket sales began.

Opening cultural heritage sites to the public does carry risks of damage. However, if they are simply kept closed, it is difficult to expect public affection for these sites. Expanding performances utilizing cultural heritage will provide performers with more stage opportunities and serve as a chance to introduce cultural heritage sites that the public may not have known about.