San Francisco's Asian Art Museum
showcases "New Korean Music"

The Asian Art Museum celebrated Solnal (Korean Lunar New Year).

San Francisco: The Asian Art Museum--Chong-Moon Lee Center for Asian Art and Culture presented KOREAMERICA, a cross-cultural musical performance featured the Contemporary Music Ensemble Korea and the New Music Works Ensemble of Santa Cruz.

These two contemporary musical groups have collaboratively developed KOREAMERICA to showcase new scores that incorporate combinations of Korean and Western instruments with transcriptions of traditional Korean Court music and dance. The performance introduces complex musical realms through a variety of perspectives.

A variety of works wre presented including the world premiere of Play with Kayageum, a piece by Japanese composer Yuji Takashashi that blended the sounds of Korean and Western instruments. Harvest Moon Rain by Music Director Phil Collins added a wet-behind-the-ears Westerner's interpretation of Korean chamber music. Korean national Bonu Koo's Canti di bocca chiusa e melisma beautifully combined violin, viola, cello, and piano with Korean instruments and voice. Lou Harrison's transcription of 15th century Korean ritual music titled Civil and Military Homages to Confucius constituted a historic revival that offers a rare opportunity to hear music of one of Korea's oldest traditional ceremonies.

Contemporary Music Ensemble Korea (CMEK) was founded in 1998 for the purpose of creating "new Korean music" that denies the distinction between Western music and Korean traditional music, and that harmonizes the two musical cultures.