From Next Month 10 to 21 at Sejong Center M Theater
Participation of 8 National Gugak Orchestras
Generation Change of 3040, Hoping for Continued Public Interest as a Festival
"Among the thriving K-content, perhaps the last remaining one is gugak orchestras. I believe we must seize the moment while the first generation who created and preserved gugak orchestras are still with us. If we find the demand from the public, the opportunity will surely come." (Ahn Hosang, President of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts)
On the afternoon of the 13th, Ahn Ho-sang, president of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, delivered a greeting at the production press conference of the 'Korea Gugak Orchestra Festival' held at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]
It has been 60 years since the beginning of gugak orchestras in the Republic of Korea. To commemorate this, Seoul City and Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, together with eight national gugak orchestras across the country, will hold the 'Republic of Korea Gugak Orchestra Festival' this coming October.
At the production press conference for the 'Republic of Korea Gugak Orchestra Festival' held on the 13th at the Artist Lounge of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno-gu, Seoul, Ahn Hosang, President of Sejong Center, said, "Gugak orchestras currently involve the largest number of gugak majors and have the greatest explosive potential as a genre. Although its history is not as long as Western orchestras, this moment when international interest in our music is higher than ever will be an opportunity for growth."
Park Beomhun, Festival Promotion Committee Chairman (Distinguished Professor at Dongguk University), stated, "In the 21st century, new traditional music genres such as changgeuk, samulnori, and gugak orchestras have emerged. Among them, gugak orchestras hold a very important position as the genre where the most young gugak musicians are active. Although the history of performing original gugak orchestra compositions is only about 60 years, with over 30 national and public gugak orchestras nationwide staffed by young gugak musicians who have achieved significant development, I believe this festival can continue in the future," emphasizing the point.
Gugak orchestras are historically considered to have begun with the founding of the Seoul City Gugak Orchestra in 1965. Yoon Junggang, Festival Promotion Committee member (gugak critic), explained, "The first student gugak orchestra was formed at Seoul Gugak Arts High School, and many performances took place around 1963. Based on this, the Seoul Municipal Gugak Orchestra was officially founded on March 3, 1965, marking about 60 years of history." He added, "At that time, the Seoul City Gugak Orchestra played an important role in laying the foundation for gugak orchestras by restoring lost instruments and improving new ones."
On the afternoon of the 13th, Park Beom-hoon, chairman of the festival promotion committee, delivered a greeting at the production presentation of the 'Korea Gugak Orchestra Festival' held at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno-gu, Seoul. [Photo by Yonhap News]
Gugak orchestras gained great popularity through the 1980s and 1990s but experienced a slowdown in growth in the 2000s. Recently, young gugak musicians have shown renewed interest in gugak orchestras, bringing new vitality.
Committee member Yoon said, "While samulnori and changgeuk, which emerged in the 21st century, have flourished, gugak orchestras have not, which is a regrettable aspect. However, since the 2010s, many young and talented conductors and composers have emerged, bringing a new turning point to gugak orchestras," he elaborated.
The festival will begin with a pre-event on October 10, followed by performances by KBS Gugak Orchestra on the 11th, Gyeonggi Sinawi Orchestra on the 12th, Busan Municipal Gugak Orchestra on the 14th, Daejeon Yeonjeong Gugak Orchestra on the 17th, Jeonju Municipal Gugak Orchestra on the 18th, Daegu Municipal Gugak Orchestra on the 19th, Gangwon Provincial Gugak Orchestra on the 20th, and conclude with the Seoul City Gugak Orchestra's finale on the 21st.
The stage at Sejong Center's M Concert Hall will feature gugak performers such as Kim Junsu (pansori), known as the 'idol of the gugak world,' Park Daul (geomungo), who gained public recognition through JTBC's 'Superband 2,' Lee Aram (daegeum), former artistic director of the 'Yeourak Festival,' Min Eunkyung (pansori), Jang Myungseo (jeongga), Kim Ilgu (ajaeng), as well as collaborators like violinist Danny Gu and electric guitarist Kim Sunghyun, presenting a diverse performance.
On October 11, the KBS Gugak Orchestra performance will be led by Park Sanghoo (39), the youngest permanent conductor of the orchestra. Geomungo player Park Daul and pianist Yuko Nakandaka will join as collaborators. Park Sanghoo, the youngest conductor in his 30s participating in this festival, said, "I prepared the program to show the most authentic gugak orchestra style. Gugak orchestra is a genre in progress, so the music performed by Gyeonggi Sinawi Orchestra and KBS Gugak Orchestra has such a wide spectrum that you might wonder if they belong to the same genre. This diversity shows the potential of how far gugak orchestras can branch out."
Wonil, Artistic Director of the Gyeonggi Sinawi Orchestra, is giving a greeting at the production presentation of the 'Korea Gugak Orchestra Festival' held on the afternoon of the 13th at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]
On the 12th, the Gyeonggi Sinawi Orchestra performance will be conducted by deputy conductor Jang Taepyeong, with daegeum player Lee Aram as a collaborator. Artistic director Wonil said, "We will create a stage that demonstrates why sinawi is the most Korean form of music," adding, "I believe this festival will be an opportunity to introduce gugak orchestras to the public."
On the 14th, the Busan Municipal Gugak Orchestra performance will be conducted by Lee Donghun, with vocalist Min Eunkyung as a collaborator. Composer Lee Kyungeun's geomungo concerto 'Pureun Parang' will be premiered.
On the 17th, the Daejeon Yeonjeong Gugak Orchestra will be conducted by Lee Seunghwon, with violinist Danny Gu collaborating on the concerto 'Pureun Dal.' Danny Gu introduced his connection to gugak, saying, "Although I was born and raised in the U.S., my maternal grandfather was a music teacher and my maternal grandmother played the gayageum as a hobby. Growing up watching them play gayageum and violin together, I naturally realized from a young age that collaboration between Eastern and Western sounds is wonderful."
On the 18th, the Jeonju Municipal Gugak Orchestra will take the stage to premiere composer Kim Daesung's 'Eumgil.' Conductor Shim Sangwook will lead, and jeongga vocalist Jang Myungseo will perform the commissioned premiere pieces. Jang Myungseo shared, "Although I majored in jeongga, I have always admired chamber music like gugak orchestras. It is an honor to perform on the stage of this gugak orchestra festival."
On the 19th, the Daegu Municipal Gugak Orchestra performance will be conducted by Han Sangil, with National Important Intangible Cultural Property ajaeng player Kim Ilgu as a collaborator. On the 20th, the Gangwon Provincial Gugak Orchestra performance will be conducted by Kim Changhwan, with vocalist Kim Junsu collaborating, presenting newly arranged and composed pieces of 'Chunhyangga' and the changgeuk 'Lear' to the audience.
On the afternoon of the 13th, Ahn Ho-sang, president of Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, delivered a greeting at the production press conference of the 'Korea Gugak Orchestra Festival' held at Sejong Center for the Performing Arts in Jongno-gu, Seoul. [Image source=Yonhap News]
On the 21st, the festival's grand finale by the Seoul City Gugak Orchestra will feature electric guitarist Kim Sunghyun, delivering a dynamic stage that explosively expresses energy and musical technique through gugak orchestra. Additionally, the concerto for daegeum, cello, and gugak orchestra, performed by cellist Shim Junho and daegeum player Inarae, will offer a mysterious blend of timbres exchanged between Western string instruments and our traditional instruments.
President Ahn emphasized, "Seoul City has rebuilt its exchange projects with regional arts organizations focusing on gugak orchestras, and this year's Republic of Korea Gugak Orchestra Festival marks the beginning. We plan to increase public interest in gugak orchestras through this annual festival."
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