ID :
208758
Thu, 09/22/2011 - 07:14
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/208758
The shortlink copeid
Musicians of Two Koreas to Push for Joint Orchestra Performances
NORTH KOREA NEWSLETTER NO. 176 (September 22, 2011)
*** TOPIC OF THE WEEK (Part 2)
Musicians of Two Koreas to Push for Joint Orchestra Performances
SEOUL (Yonhap) -- In another sign of thawing tensions, South and North Korea are moving closer to finding common ground in their pursuit of peace through music. Last week, a prominent South Korean conductor visited Pyongyang and agreed with North Korean musicians to perform joint concerts, although nothing is yet completely certain.
Chung Myung-whun, who leads the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and also serves as a UNICEF "goodwill ambassador," said on Sept. 16 that he forged an agreement with Pyongyang artists to push for regular performances of a joint symphony orchestra of the two sides.
After returning home on Sept. 15 after a four-day trip to North Korea, the world-renowned musician said his trip was aimed at promoting cultural exchanges and easing tensions. He was accompanied by two senior Seoul orchestra officials.
"We inked a letter of intent with the (North) Korean Association for Art Exchange to try to hold performances of a joint symphony orchestra of the two Koreas on a regular basis," Chung told reporters.
The performances, if realized, will be alternately held in Seoul and Pyongyang, and the orchestra will be composed of the same number of players from each side, he said.
"Personally, I want the joint orchestra to play Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, the choral, around the end of this year one time each in Seoul and Pyongyang," he added.
"It will be the best if we perform here (Seoul) one time, and in Pyongyang one time. Another thing I want is to gather young North Korean musicians and spend some two weeks with them next year and practice with them.
"As the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra annually performs Beethoven Symphony No. 9 late in the year to help those in need, I hope that members of the SPO and North Korean musicians can meet together and perform the symphony late this year," Chung told reporters in Seoul, adding that the feasibility of a joint concert this year is quite high.
The 59-year-old maestro also said he agreed to run a program to cultivate young and talented North Korean musicians.
During his stay in Pyongyang, Chung said he conducted a rehearsal by the North's State Symphony Orchestra and the Unhasu Orchestra, and auditioned seven talented members of the latter orchestra in strings, wind instruments and vocals. He said he also watched a concert by the state orchestra.
"I held the rehearsal for about seven hours. The quality of North Korean musicians is high in terms of technique," he said.
"North Korean musicians' skills are very advanced and they don't make any mistakes. But I also told them that wasn't enough and asked them to pursue the music on a deeper level."
Chung said his long-time friend and former French culture minister Jack Lang helped him contact a North Korean official in France to push for the latest meeting with North Korean artists.
Chung has had many opportunities to hold a concert in Pyongyang but none have panned out. Chung had to give up his plan to participate in the Isang Yun World Peace Concert in Pyongyang in 2006, due to North Korea's missile tests.
In July, Philadelphia Orchestra conductor Charles Dutoit was trying to form an inter-Korean youth orchestra through South Korean partner Lindembaum Music Company.
On Aug. 15, Argentine-Israeli conductor Daniel Barenboim led his youth orchestra, consisting of artists from the Middle East, including Israelis and Palestinians, to perform at Imjingak near the demilitarized zone to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Chung has said he hopes to ease the strained relations between the two nations through inter-Korean art projects, such as holding concerts and music programs for children.
The Seoul orchestra stressed the purpose of the trip was purely for civilian cultural exchanges. The conductor did not meet any high-level North Korean official during the visit.
Meanwhile, the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported from Pyongyang on Sept. 14 that Chung watched and conducted performances of the North's State Symphony Orchestra and the Unhasu Orchestra, and had "a talk with creators during his stay here." Chung and his colleagues also visited the Mangyongdae Schoolchildren's Palace in Pyongyang, it added.
The report gave no other details about how long the meeting was or what they discussed.
His visit comes as Seoul is moving to improve ties with Pyongyang after years of frayed relations. Earlier this month, the Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean relations, allowed a Buddhist delegation to visit Pyongyang for a joint Buddhist service.
In 2006, Chung was invited to participate in a peace concert in North Korea as a conductor, but the concert was called off after the communist state conducted a nuclear test that year.
His trip also comes amid lingering tensions over North Korea's two deadly attacks on the South last year.
Seoul imposed sanctions on the North last year in retaliation for the sinking of its warship, which was blamed on the North. Still, South Korea has selectively approved trips to the North by its citizens and humanitarian aid to the North.
South Koreans are not allowed to travel to North Korea without government approval.
Relations between the two Koreas have been tense since President Lee Myung-bak took office in early 2008 with a pledge to link aid to the impoverished neighbor to progress in efforts to end its nuclear programs.
(END)
*** TOPIC OF THE WEEK (Part 2)
Musicians of Two Koreas to Push for Joint Orchestra Performances
SEOUL (Yonhap) -- In another sign of thawing tensions, South and North Korea are moving closer to finding common ground in their pursuit of peace through music. Last week, a prominent South Korean conductor visited Pyongyang and agreed with North Korean musicians to perform joint concerts, although nothing is yet completely certain.
Chung Myung-whun, who leads the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra and also serves as a UNICEF "goodwill ambassador," said on Sept. 16 that he forged an agreement with Pyongyang artists to push for regular performances of a joint symphony orchestra of the two sides.
After returning home on Sept. 15 after a four-day trip to North Korea, the world-renowned musician said his trip was aimed at promoting cultural exchanges and easing tensions. He was accompanied by two senior Seoul orchestra officials.
"We inked a letter of intent with the (North) Korean Association for Art Exchange to try to hold performances of a joint symphony orchestra of the two Koreas on a regular basis," Chung told reporters.
The performances, if realized, will be alternately held in Seoul and Pyongyang, and the orchestra will be composed of the same number of players from each side, he said.
"Personally, I want the joint orchestra to play Beethoven's Symphony No. 9, the choral, around the end of this year one time each in Seoul and Pyongyang," he added.
"It will be the best if we perform here (Seoul) one time, and in Pyongyang one time. Another thing I want is to gather young North Korean musicians and spend some two weeks with them next year and practice with them.
"As the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra annually performs Beethoven Symphony No. 9 late in the year to help those in need, I hope that members of the SPO and North Korean musicians can meet together and perform the symphony late this year," Chung told reporters in Seoul, adding that the feasibility of a joint concert this year is quite high.
The 59-year-old maestro also said he agreed to run a program to cultivate young and talented North Korean musicians.
During his stay in Pyongyang, Chung said he conducted a rehearsal by the North's State Symphony Orchestra and the Unhasu Orchestra, and auditioned seven talented members of the latter orchestra in strings, wind instruments and vocals. He said he also watched a concert by the state orchestra.
"I held the rehearsal for about seven hours. The quality of North Korean musicians is high in terms of technique," he said.
"North Korean musicians' skills are very advanced and they don't make any mistakes. But I also told them that wasn't enough and asked them to pursue the music on a deeper level."
Chung said his long-time friend and former French culture minister Jack Lang helped him contact a North Korean official in France to push for the latest meeting with North Korean artists.
Chung has had many opportunities to hold a concert in Pyongyang but none have panned out. Chung had to give up his plan to participate in the Isang Yun World Peace Concert in Pyongyang in 2006, due to North Korea's missile tests.
In July, Philadelphia Orchestra conductor Charles Dutoit was trying to form an inter-Korean youth orchestra through South Korean partner Lindembaum Music Company.
On Aug. 15, Argentine-Israeli conductor Daniel Barenboim led his youth orchestra, consisting of artists from the Middle East, including Israelis and Palestinians, to perform at Imjingak near the demilitarized zone to promote peace on the Korean Peninsula.
Chung has said he hopes to ease the strained relations between the two nations through inter-Korean art projects, such as holding concerts and music programs for children.
The Seoul orchestra stressed the purpose of the trip was purely for civilian cultural exchanges. The conductor did not meet any high-level North Korean official during the visit.
Meanwhile, the North's Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported from Pyongyang on Sept. 14 that Chung watched and conducted performances of the North's State Symphony Orchestra and the Unhasu Orchestra, and had "a talk with creators during his stay here." Chung and his colleagues also visited the Mangyongdae Schoolchildren's Palace in Pyongyang, it added.
The report gave no other details about how long the meeting was or what they discussed.
His visit comes as Seoul is moving to improve ties with Pyongyang after years of frayed relations. Earlier this month, the Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean relations, allowed a Buddhist delegation to visit Pyongyang for a joint Buddhist service.
In 2006, Chung was invited to participate in a peace concert in North Korea as a conductor, but the concert was called off after the communist state conducted a nuclear test that year.
His trip also comes amid lingering tensions over North Korea's two deadly attacks on the South last year.
Seoul imposed sanctions on the North last year in retaliation for the sinking of its warship, which was blamed on the North. Still, South Korea has selectively approved trips to the North by its citizens and humanitarian aid to the North.
South Koreans are not allowed to travel to North Korea without government approval.
Relations between the two Koreas have been tense since President Lee Myung-bak took office in early 2008 with a pledge to link aid to the impoverished neighbor to progress in efforts to end its nuclear programs.
(END)
