To celebrate its 12th anniversary, the Korean Cultural Centre India (KCCI) hosted a special two-day K-Classic Music Concert on December 10th and 11th at the centre. The 70-minute concert featured a world-class trio from the Korea Philharmonic Orchestra, who narrated stories related to the famous classical pieces they performed in the event. The event was designed in a way that made classical music more accessible, with storytelling helping the audience understand and appreciate the music.
K-Classic Music Tales
In addition to classical masterpieces, the musicians performed Korea’s popular traditional folk song, Arirang, and the famous theme song “Jai Ho” from the movie Slumdog Millionaire, composed by AR Rahman. As a surprise for the audience, they also played part of the famous BTS song ‘Dynamite’. The K-Classic Music Concert provided a good opportunity for cultural exchange between the two countries, Korea and India through classical music.
The artists who performed included violinist Kim Pil Kyun, the first Concertmaster chair of the Daejeon City Philharmonic Orchestra, and violinist Kim Min Jung, the concertmaster of the An Di Musik Philharmonic Orchestra, which has been active for 15 years. Kim Min Jung is also the representative of Daejeon Arco and has performed at various events, such as the recent invitation she received as a performer at the Euro Music Festival in Germany and the Vianden International Music Festival in Luxembourg.
The third artist was pianist Ryu In Kyung, who spent her childhood in Johannesburg, South Africa, and joined the Johannesburg Symphony Orchestra at 13. Since then, she has been performing internationally as a professional musician, known for her expressive performances and bold innovations in classical music.
Hwang Il Yong, Director of Korean Cultural Centre India said, “Classical music in India can be said to be an uncharted territory that has not yet been explored. For local students and young people who love Korean culture, a concert of classical music that tells the story of Korea is a significant starting point.”
Pragya Mukherjee, a college student who attended the event said, “Looking at the instruments on the stage, I expected the event to be good. But once the performances began, I was struck by the melody and felt so emotionally involved during the event. It was the first time that I was witnessing a Korean Classical Music Concert Live. I had an amazing time here and I look forward to attending more such performances and concerts.”
