This October the renowned Korean Music Festival returns for its 11th edition and can now confirm the full programme of events, bringing an eclectic and diverse mix of some of Korea’s most important artists to the capital.
The festival opens on October 3 at the Barbican Centre with the National Changgeuk Company’s highly anticipated new production of Lear. Changgeuk, a unique traditional Korean opera has been masterfully produced for contemporary audiences by the National Changgeuk Company since its founding in 1962. This premiere of “Lear”- a major restaging of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedy at the Barbican Centre will mark a significant milestone as their debut performance at this prestigious venue – an unmissable experience for the London audience.
This year’s K-Music Festival also presents an outstanding selection of some of Korea’s best female artists, with everything from jazz to classical music to sonic fusion. To mark her 30 year career as a jazz singer, Youn Sun Nah presents her 12th album Elles, a tribute to artists like Nina Simone to Roberta Flack, via Björk and Edith Piaf. Crossing eras and musical borders she’ll be joined by France’s finest pianist Bojan Z for an intimate concert at Islington’s Union Chapel on 6th October.
On 23rd October master of the traditional Korean Piri, SEAYOOL KIM makes his debut at the Holy Cross Church with the contemporary classical work Suite for Jeju, reinterpreting the diction of traditional instruments while masterfully merging piri and string quartet courtesy of the Ligeti Quartet. This event is in partnership with Bloomsbury Festival.
Well-known for her exceptional vocal mastery, soprano Hera Hyesang Park will make her K-Music Festival debut with a fresh reinterpretation of traditional Korean songs on 26th October at St John’s Smith Square following her concert at the Edinburgh International Festival this summer. She will be joined by pianist Bretton Brown and tenor David Junghoon Kim to perform songs from her acclaimed album “Breathe,” along with traditional Korean folk songs.
On 30th October at Kings Place Hall, the legendary Black String, led by Youn Jeong Heo will premier music from their brand new album (out this autumn) along with music from their acclaimed albums, Mask Dance (2016) and Karma (2019).
To close the festival and in partnership with the EFG London Jazz Festival are two extraordinary Korean bands. First up is No-Noise, a dynamic ensemble led by both Lee Il-woo of the post-rock sensation Jambinai making their London debut on 15th November at the Southbank Centre. And finally the last event of this year’s programme on 23 November is Heemoon Lee, the visionary and captivating vocalist of SsingSsing, who dazzled audiences in 2018 with his electrifying performance, returning to the Southbank Centre with his band, OBANGSINGWA to perform new album, ‘SPANGLE’.
Official Programme:
https://kccuk.org.uk/en/programmes/kmusicfestival2024/
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