Performing Arts Global Exchange Current Grantees

Color photo of CelloGayageum. Shot in front of a medium grey background, a woman in traditional Korean dress stands left one hand holding her long silk skirt and the other balancing a Gayageum, a traditional stringed instrument. To her right, a man sits in side profile holding a cello. He wears a dark suit.

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Image: CelloGayageum. Credit: Courtesy of the artist.

CelloGayageum

CelloGayageum is a unique intercultural musical duo consisting of cellist Sol Daniel Kim and Gayageum player Dayoung Yoon. The idea to create this duo came from their visit to the “Pavillon of Unification” in Berlin, a city shaped by a tragic history of war, division, and reunion. By seamlessly blending the musical cultures and instruments of the cello and Gayageum, they create a harmonious symbiosis in both sound and style. On this tour, CelloGayageum will present original compositions from their new album titled “2.0”. The music is based on Korean traditional music and classical chamber music, with a hint of jazz, bluegrass, and flamenco. CelloGayageum is also keen on community engagement programs such as workshops and masterclasses for both general audiences and professional musicians. The programs will share general knowledge of Korean traditional music and instruments, and the duo’s unique approach to blending Korean music and western music.

Grantees include:

A group of musicians stands on a stage with their instruments and microphones. This is a posed publicity photo.

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Photo: Coreyah. Credit: Courtesy of the artist.

Coreyah

Coreyah is a psychedelic Korean folk music group whose six members integrate traditional Korean instruments, vocals, guitar, and percussion. Since their 2010 debut, Coreyah has pioneered a new style of Korean music that blends genres of contemporary ethnic and popular sounds while still maintaining the distinctive characteristics of traditional Korean instruments. The group’s unique freewheeling, polystylistic vision combines a variety of influences, including Anglo-American rock, Balkan gypsy, and genres from South America and Africa.

Coreyah has toured around the world visiting over 50 cities in 34 countries, and continues to delight audiences at home and abroad. Coreyah was recently featured on NPR’s Tiny Desk (Home) Concert in June 2020 and performed three songs from their new album.

Coreyah released their 4th album “Clap & Applause” in July 2020. This new album celebrates their 10th anniversary with a dance-inducing, exciting new vision for Korean world music. Korean traditional rhythms combine with toe-tapping and hand-clapping dance beats set to the sounds of the soulful daegeum flute, electrifying geomungo zither, and fierceful janggu hourglass drum. Coreyah’s latest album continues their long-standing effort to infuse pop into traditional music through bold, youthful style, heartfelt lyrics, and a psychedelic sound.

The name Coreyah is a Sino-Korean homonym that refers to the inheritance of the past and also in Korean means “whale”—the group’s good luck charm.

Grantees include:

Color photo of 2nd Moon. Six people stand in front of an off-white studio background. They are dressed in a variety of suits and shirts and a woman standing center hold a stringed instrument.

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Photo: 2nd Moon. Credit: Courtesy of the artist.

Second Moon

Evoking Korean traditional Pansori sounds and mixed with Western instrumentals, Second Moon is a dynamic 7-member band that has been making waves since their formation in 2004. Combining two very different genres of music, Second Moon brings a unique sound to the stage as they fuse Korean Pansori, a style of musical storytelling, with Irish music by incorporating instruments like Irish whistle, bodhran, and mandolin. The band gained recognition in 2006 when they were selected for “Rookie of the Year” and “Record of the Year” at the Korean Music Awards, and their music was featured in the hit TV drama Princess Hours.

Second Moon continued to push musical boundaries with their album Pansori Chunhyangga – a fusion of traditional Pansori and world music – which won the “Best Jazz and Crossover” award at the 2017 Korea Music Awards. A highlight of the band’s career was performing at the closing ceremony of the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics.

In the 2023-24 season, Second Moon brings music from their award-winning album PansoriChunhyangga, which reimagines the main passages of the Chunhyangga, one of the best known love stories and folk tales of Korea.

Band Members: Hyunbo Kim (guitar, mandolin, bodhran, Irish whistle), Younghoon Lee (guitar), Jinkyung Choi (piano, accordion), Yunjeong Jo (violin), Jingo Park (bass), Jongsun Park (drums), and Danhae Oh (vocals).

Grantees include:

Color photo of Gayageum artist Seo Jungmin. Seo sits center playing the Gayageum. Multicolor balls of all sizes and colors cover the ground at her feet. Bathed in red light she wears a white blouse and grey slacks.

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Photo: Seo Jungmin. Credit: Courtesy of the artist.

Seo Jungmin

Gayageum artist Seo Jungmin transforms living moments into music. Seo blurs the boundaries between traditional and contemporary music, documenting special moments with the 25-string Gayageum. As a member of the highly acclaimed traditional Korean music duo Su:m, Seo has performed globally at WOMEX UK, WOMAD Australia, WOMAD New Zealand, and SXSW. In 2016, Seo released her first solo album COSMOS 25. This album earned a nomination in the “Excellent Crossover Album” category at the 2017 Korean Music Awards and “World Music Album” entry at the 60th Grammy Awards. Her concert HOME was selected as “Repertoire of the Year” by Arts Council Korea.

On this tour, Seo Jungmin will present her most recent works and compositions, including One, My Utopia! which was presented at the 2022 CINARS Biennale and was honored with the title of PAMS Choice at the Performing Arts Market Seoul in 2021.

Grantees include:

Color photo of SE;UM. Four members on the musical group SE:UM perform on a wooden stage. They are all dressed in black suits and play a variety of modern and traditional instruments.

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Photo: SE:UM. Credit: Courtesy of the artist.

SE:UM

In 2013, a group of jazz players and Korean traditional musicians started to play jam sessions based on traditional Korean folk melodies and shamanistic rhythms, eventually forming SE:UM. The eclectic quintet is comprised of saxophonist Hachul Song, trumpeter Jongsang Park, bassist Jaeha Lee, traditional percussionist Minhyung Lee, and gayageum (twelve-stringed Korean zither) player and music director Joon Lee. In 2015 SE:UM’s debut album was nominated for Best Crossover Album and Best Jazz & Crossover Performance at the Korea Music Awards. They were also selected as a Choice Artist by the two biggest international performing arts markets in Korea, PAMS and APaMM. Since then, SE:UM has performed around the world from the UAE to the US, and expanded its musical boundaries collaborating with ever diverse partners.

On this tour they will perform a concert titled “Korean Breath: Ten Thousand Waves” which includes music from their most recent album, Ten Thousand Waves. Recorded during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the album is based on the Korean folktale about the legendary bamboo pipe that saved the perilous world. SE:UM wishes to spread out hope and comfort to the US audience like ten thousand waves.

Grantees include: