Echo of a Millennium, Arirang
To celebrate 50 years diplomatic ties between Korea and Australia, ‘Echo of Millennium’ will be hosted by the Cultural Heritage Administration (Director: Kim Chan), Korea cultural heritage foundation, Korean cultural office in Sydney and will be held both on 25th of October in Sydney Town Hall.
In 2011, the 50th year of diplomatic ties between Korea and Australia, the government has been trying to promote the cultural arts exchanges between Korea and Australia by opening the Korean cultural office in Sydney and through various events. Most of the performances have been recorded as UNESCO Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible of Humanity. Enigmatic masters will bring you the title ‘Echo of Millennium Arirang ’to advertise the excellence of the Korean traditional culture and raise the awareness of the important intangible cultural heritage.
In this performance where Korean important intangible cultural heritage will be shown various performances will take place with the theme ‘Arirang’. The performance will start at 7pm on Tuesday, 25th of October in Sydney Town hall with the capacity of 1500 people.
This performance will show various tastes of Korean traditional art and it has been designed with the desire to provide ‘the forum of cultural exchange’ between Korea and Australia.
1. Arirang
Arirang is Korea’s most beloved folk song that beautifully expresses Korean sentiment. As Arirang has been orally handed down through the generations, its exact origin is unknown and it still remains unclear who first composed this song and when it was first sung by the people, Koreans have sung Arirang whenever they feel sad or joyful. Although the prevailing tone of the song is plaintive, Arirang is the sound of coping and unwinding one's sorrow or regret, thus releasing unresolved feelings. Today’s Arirang is expressed with the beautiful sound of the haegeum (two-stringed fiddle)
Haegeum player Kim Seon-gu
2. Taepyeongmu ("Dance of Peace")
Taepyeongmu was designated as Important Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 92 by the Korean government in December 1988. It is a folk dance that is performed to express the deepeest wishes for the peace of our nation. The costumes worn by the dancers are similar to those formerly worn by ancient Korea’s kings and queens, showing a glimpse of the grandeur and extravagance of the life at the royal palaces. Taepyeongmu is a mellow, artistic dance delivered with detailed movements and diverse gestures of the feet along with a complex variation of rhythm. It also displays majesty and solemnity, and the movements are broad and splendid at the same time, so the elegance of traditional Korean dance can be fully felt.
Dancers Yang Seong-ok (Teaching assistant for transmitting Taepyeongmu) & Hannuri Dance Troupe members
3. Gagok (Lyric song cycles accompanied by an orchestra)
Gagok was designated as Important Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 30 by the Korean government in November 1969, and inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at the 5th session of UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, held in Nairobi, Kenya in November 2010. Gagok is a genre of the Korean lyric song cycles of sijo, a type of traditional Korean poetry composed in a fixed form, accompanied by interludes played on an ensemble of traditional Korean musical instruments. It evolved from the lyric songs of the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392), and was continuously developed and refined during the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), reaching its present form. With high artistic and musical value, gagok has maintained Korea’s unique sentiment and tradition amid our advanced technological era. Today’s performance presents solo pieces of Isudaeyeop (“Williow") sung on the highest note of the Korean pentatonic scale as well as Pyeonsudaeyeop ("Peony") in minor key tone.
Singer Jo Sun-ja (gagok master)
Geomungo (Six-stringed zither) player Ju Yun-jeong
Daegeum (large bamboo transverse flute) player Lee Yong-gu
Piri (Korean double reed instrument) player Lee Seok-ju
Haegeum (two-stringed fiddle) player Kim Seon-gu
Janggu (hourglass-shaped drum) player Park Beom-tae
4. Sanjo (Originally solo performance)
Sanjo is the most representative instrumental form of Korean folk music. It expresses ordinary peoples' frank emotions such as joy, sadness, and love through instrumental music. Sanjo literally means ‘scattered melodies’ or ‘impromptu, spontaneous melodies’. That is, it is a form of music that maximises the characteristics of musical instruments and the techniques of players. Sanjo, which is originally played solo, will be given in the form of an ensemble composed of ajaeng, daegeum, and janggu players in today's performance.
Daegeum player Lee Yong-gu
Ajaeng (a wide zither) player Yun Seo-gyeong
Janggu (hourglass-shaped drum) player Lee Tae-baek
5. Buchaechum (fan dance)
Buchaechum is a creative dance that presents various images, such as butterflies and waves, through the movements of hand-held fans. It originated as a solo fan dance, but was developed into today’s group dance. The attractiveness of Buchaechum can be found in the sounds made when folding and unfolding beautiful fans decorated by lotus flower paintings and feathers, as well as the fans’ circular movements. Today's performance of Buchaechum is the reconstructed version of the original performance, particularly focusing on the beauty of hanbok (traditional Korean costume) and fans.
Hannuri Dance Troupe members
6. Pansori (Pansori Epic Chant)
Pansori was designated as Important Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 5 by the Korean government back in December 1964, and more recently proclaimed as a UNESCO Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity in November 2003. A vocal and percussion music performed by a singer and drummer, it is characterized by expressive singing, stylized speech, a repertory of narratives and gesture. Pansori conveys the different emotions of lif, and is highly valued for involving the participation of the audience. Today's performance presents Chunhyangga, describing the unwavering love of a young couple.
Singer Wang Gi-cheol (master of Pansori)
Drummer Lee Tae-baek (Master of the Pansori percussion method)
7. Ganggangsullae (Ganggangsullae Round Dance)
Ganggangsullae was designated as Important Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 8 by the Korean government in February 1966, and inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at the 4th session of UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, in September 2009. Ganggangsullae, a folk group round dance with singing, was mostly performed in coastal areas during the night time, before or after the days of the full moon in order to bring about a bountiful harvest. The song initially starts slowly, but the tempo gradually becomes faster, increasing the dance speed in the end. Ganggangsullae will be beautifully performed tonight, conveying the sentiment, style, and joy of the Korean people.
Hannuri Dance Troupe members
8. Namsadang Nori (All-male Vagabond Clown Theatre)
Namsadang Nori was designated as Important Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 3 by the Korean government in December 1964, and inscribed on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity at the 4th ssession of UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates, in September 2009. Namsadang is an itinerant entertainment troupe which usually consists of at least 40 male performers, including a kkokdusoe (the head of the group). Namsadang Nori was generally performed outdoors to entertain poor farmers and lower-class people, and served as a form of consolation for the public through mask dances and puppet shows by satirising the suppressed reality by the nobilities. Tonight's Namsadang Nori will open up a delightful stage, featuring a Gil Nori (street parade), Pangut (entertainment rite) and an exciting Beona Nori (Performance with beona or dish).
Leading gong player Ji Woon-ha (Teaching assistant for transmitting Namsadang Nori)
Janggu drummer Nam Gi-moon (Teaching assistant for transmitting Namsadang Nori)
Namsadang Nori performers (In the sequential order of instruments and performers)
‘Echo of a Millennium, Arirang’ on 25th of October will be performed free of charge ticket reservations can be made through 02 8267 3499.
Furthermore, RSVPs can be made via yj.seo@koreanculture.org.au
