Tracing Roots: Korean Traditional Music in the Park Comes to Washington, D.C.
WHAT: One-to-one Korean traditional music performances in Washington, D.C. parks
WHO: Korean traditional music group Namureyoung
WHEN & WHERE: - Thursday, Oct. 28 in Georgetown Waterfront Park: 12 - 2 p.m. & 4 - 6 p.m.
- Friday, Oct. 29 in Farragut Square: 12 - 2 p.m. & 4 - 6 p.m.
- Saturday, Oct. 30 in Georgetown Waterfront Park: 2 - 6 p.m.
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HOW: Participation is free and registration is not required, but proof of vaccination and a mask are required to participate at the time of the event.
The Korean Cultural Center Washington, D.C. (KCCDC) proudly presents Tracing Roots: Korean Traditional Music in the Park, a special three-day series of intimate outdoor music performances by visiting group Namureyoung, taking place in Washington, D.C.'s picturesque parks and riverside green spaces, Oct. 28-30.
Envisioned as a return to the more personal, face-to-face performances of old when Korean musicians would play for a single person surrounded by nature, this series embraces the concept of a regression to this prior state of traditional performing arts.
This is epitomized by the group's theme of "Time and Space for One," which aims to tailor the musical experience to each listener's own story. Namureyoung specializes in this unique format and employs a range of iconic Korean wind and string instruments, creating an oasis of calm inside a transparent, rectangular frame that allows for unparalleled connection between audience and performer.
The simple performance space, sculptural in its elegance yet utilizing safe social distancing, is reminiscent of a Korean sarangbang, a small study within a traditional Korean home, or hanok, used for writing, meetings, and leisure.
Namureyoung evokes this powerful ambiance and history to elevate each brief encounter for the performer, audience, and outside observer.
In a space designed to concentrate the experience of time and space through the resonance and proximity of sound, participants selected spontaneously from passersby engage in a brief chat before the performer selects a short piece uniquely for them.
As they listen, participants retain a feeling of being amidst nature, even in a city setting. And for those who observe from a distance, the entire performance and space itself represents a beautifully framed living portrait of the arts, tradition, and human connection.
Tracing Roots: Korean Traditional Music in the Park also aims to allow the local public in each location it is held to safely visit a type of performing arts venue, overcoming a familiar limitation of pandemic life.
Maintaining intimacy and communication between audience and performer is a core characteristic of Korean traditional music-a legacy kept alive by this modern format where the ultimate purpose is to create a moment of pure comfort and healing.
Performances will take place Thursday, October 28 in Georgetown Waterfront Park (12 - 2 p.m. and 4 - 6 p.m.), Friday, October 29 in Farragut Square (12 - 2 p.m. and 4 - 6 p.m.), and Saturday, October 30 in Georgetown Waterfront Park (2 - 6 p.m.).
Participation is free and no registration is required, but proof of vaccination and a mask are required to participate at the time of the event.
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