Seocho-gu Experiential Music Education 'Classic Instrument Exploration Life'
Expanded to 400 Participants This Year for Seoul Citizens
Seocho-gu, Seoul (Mayor Jeon Seong-su) is expanding the participation scope of the popular classical instrument-making experience program, ‘Classic Instrument Exploration Life,’ from Seocho-gu residents to all Seoul citizens starting this year.
‘Classic Instrument Exploration Life’ is a specialized experiential music education program unique to Seocho-gu, offering special and diverse experiences such as violin assembly and bow making, chisel and plane practice, and violin varnishing. It is conducted for elementary school students at workshops located within the Seocho Cultural Belt (Music Culture District), which is rich in classical music-related cultural resources.
Starting with 200 participants in 2021, the program received enthusiastic responses from Seocho-gu elementary students and their parents, with a total of 600 participants by last year. Since then, the number of applicants has steadily increased, and in June last year, the competition rate reached 4 to 1, establishing the program as a popular district initiative.
From this year, the recruitment target has been expanded from Seocho-gu residents to all Seoul citizens, and the number of participants will increase from 300 to 400.
Participants attend a theory class to learn about instrument sounds and types, followed by a hands-on instrument-making experience led by a master craftsman at the workshop. Each team consists of two people?a parent and a student?and education is conducted with two teams (four people) per workshop.
The curriculum is conducted over two hours and includes ▲ introduction to instruments such as the history of the violin and bow ▲ safety education explaining precautions when using tools ▲ explanation of instrument structure including materials and functions of the violin and bow ▲ and direct experience in making the violin and bow.
Classes are held every Saturday from April to November this year (excluding July to September), totaling 20 sessions with 20 participants per session. Applications can be submitted from the 1st to the 15th of the month prior to the class, and selected participants will be notified individually. Eligible participants are elementary school students residing in Seoul or attending elementary schools in Seoul. The classes are free of charge, and detailed information can be found on the district’s website.
Jeon Seong-su, Mayor of Seocho-gu, said, “Through Classic Instrument Exploration Life, which can be experienced in the Seocho Cultural Belt?the only area in the country densely packed with classical music-related facilities?I hope students can encounter classical music in a new way and dream of a future in music.”
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