Continuing with the tradition of Mina Cho's 2019 Pansori Cantata, "Gilryungjeon" ("The Dream of Gilryung"), the Gugak Jazz Society artists have been exploring innovative ways to manifest musical narratives. Our new project, "Samulnori Fantasy: Seasons," embodies the collective ideas of Pansori Cantata and fantasy, where Korean traditional Samulnori evolves to reshape traditional musical idioms by improvising on our stories.
About Our Current Project "Samulnori Fantasy: Seasons"
"Samulnori Fantasy: Seasons" is inspired by the magical aura of Boston's night skyline and moonlit waters of the Charles River, which served as the muse for Mina's second musical narrative. Following the Pansori Cantata's style introduced in Cho's 2019 "Gilryungjeon," the narrative incorporates Korean traditional Pansori (storytelling in voice) with Samulnori (four primary percussion instruments: Jing, Janggu, Kkwaenggwari, and Buk). Samulnori is a contemporary version of Korean Pungmul (a Korean folk music tradition rooted in the collective farming culture called 'Dure') and Namsadang (an itinerant traditional performing arts troupe). The piece weaves Korean traditional music with the sounds of modern jazz and gospel music.
The narrative of "Seasons" centers around the moon rabbit 'Rain,' whose singing can call forth the rain, and a young woman 'Sunnie,' who gave up her dream of becoming a master Pansori singer to study business in Boston. After celebrating his retirement from 100 years of musical priesthood in Lunar Land, Rain is permitted to visit the Human World, but only for one night of the full moon. A magical pathway, named 7th Moonstar Street, appears between Lunar Land and the Charles River for Rain's trip. Upon reaching the Charles River, he meets Sunnie, and they explore their passion for music and embrace a new season in their lives. The narrative interconnects seemingly unrelated events in life, embracing the ideal Lunar Land and the human world. The successive movements portray scenes of Lunar Land, the Charles River in Boston, Sunnie's funeral, and an ideal world where Sunnie reunites with her loved ones. The story's evolution demonstrates the spirit of Korean traditional music infused with contemporary music elements, resonating with various aspects of life and emotion.
What's Next?
The Gugak Jazz Society premiered "Samulnori Fantasy: Seasons" on September 10, 2022, at New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall. The concert coincided with the Korean Thanksgiving Day with a full moon, unfolding the story of Seasons. After the success of the live premiere, we are currently working on producing an album that features the music from Seasons, which will be released this fall. Stay tuned for more updates!
About Our Current Project "Samulnori Fantasy: Seasons"
"Samulnori Fantasy: Seasons" is inspired by the magical aura of Boston's night skyline and moonlit waters of the Charles River, which served as the muse for Mina's second musical narrative. Following the Pansori Cantata's style introduced in Cho's 2019 "Gilryungjeon," the narrative incorporates Korean traditional Pansori (storytelling in voice) with Samulnori (four primary percussion instruments: Jing, Janggu, Kkwaenggwari, and Buk). Samulnori is a contemporary version of Korean Pungmul (a Korean folk music tradition rooted in the collective farming culture called 'Dure') and Namsadang (an itinerant traditional performing arts troupe). The piece weaves Korean traditional music with the sounds of modern jazz and gospel music.
The narrative of "Seasons" centers around the moon rabbit 'Rain,' whose singing can call forth the rain, and a young woman 'Sunnie,' who gave up her dream of becoming a master Pansori singer to study business in Boston. After celebrating his retirement from 100 years of musical priesthood in Lunar Land, Rain is permitted to visit the Human World, but only for one night of the full moon. A magical pathway, named 7th Moonstar Street, appears between Lunar Land and the Charles River for Rain's trip. Upon reaching the Charles River, he meets Sunnie, and they explore their passion for music and embrace a new season in their lives. The narrative interconnects seemingly unrelated events in life, embracing the ideal Lunar Land and the human world. The successive movements portray scenes of Lunar Land, the Charles River in Boston, Sunnie's funeral, and an ideal world where Sunnie reunites with her loved ones. The story's evolution demonstrates the spirit of Korean traditional music infused with contemporary music elements, resonating with various aspects of life and emotion.
What's Next?
The Gugak Jazz Society premiered "Samulnori Fantasy: Seasons" on September 10, 2022, at New England Conservatory's Jordan Hall. The concert coincided with the Korean Thanksgiving Day with a full moon, unfolding the story of Seasons. After the success of the live premiere, we are currently working on producing an album that features the music from Seasons, which will be released this fall. Stay tuned for more updates!
