SEOUL, KOREA: The 2nd Korean Music Festival will be held at the National Theater Haeoreum at 5pm on 1st October 2023 during the Chuseok or Hangawi season that falls on 29th September this year.
This important music festival will be headed by the artistic director of Baekseok University, Professor Lim Chung-Wha, conductor Kim Bong-mi, music director Jang Dong-in, soprano Kim Young-mi, mezzo-soprano Shin Hyun-seon, tenor Kim Joong-il, tenor Nurkanat Tapiyev, baritone Park Kyung-jun and baritone Kim Jong-pyo will take the stage.
Among the performers at the 2nd Korean Music Festival include the Solideo Elder Choir, Bae Jae-Appenzeller Choir, Children’s Song Group Small Peace, Incheon Concert Chamber and Baeha Philharmonic Orchestra hosted by the President Syngman Rhee Memorial Foundation and organised by K-Classical Gagok.
Professor Lim Chung-Wha, the artistic director of the stage, first coined the term ‘K-Classic’ and is leading the globalization of Korean songs. On December 12, 2013 in particular, she passionately sang ‘Dumulmeori Arirang’ and ‘Nostalgic Mt. Geumgangsan’ at the Vienna Music Fairline in Austria that had received great attention from the media.
According to the organizer, this performance held at the end of Chuseok holiday will be a stage of encouragement to ‘stand together again’ in Korean society which is suffering from an economic recession and severe division of public opinions.
This important concert is held at the end of Chuseok holiday. Being the most important holiday of the year, Chuseok falls on August 15 in the lunar calendar.
However, this year, Chuseok falls on September 29 and this is the most prosperous time of the year with grains such as rice and fruits like apples, pears, persimmons and chestnuts are ripening well.
In Korea there are many important anniversaries celebrated in October. The Armed Forces Day falls on 1st October while the National Foundation Day on 3rd October. The Korean government has designated the six days from September 28 to October 3 as legal holidays.
By Lee Sang-ki
Former President of Asia Journalist Association (AJA), Publisher of The AsiaN Magazine
