Tickets: TBD
In an effort to promote cultural exchange and harmony in increasingly diverse community in Harlem, East Harlem Presents and Koreanflute.com host 2015 Lunar New Year “Seol” festival at the Poet’s Den Theater and Gallery, a performance and exhibition venue at the heart of the second Harlem Renaissance. The three day cultural event will showcase traditional sound and rhythm of Korea featuring renowned Daegeum (Korean Big Flute) player Chung Eun Han and up and coming young vocalist Bong Keun Lee. In the adjacent gallery, the artist and visionary Heesung Lee will exhibit her paintings of “Om” mandalas.
Concert Repertoire
February 18: Sound of Korea Meets Chamber Ensemble, featuring Chung Eun Han and Bong Keun Lee
- Performance with a NY chamber ensemble
- Arirang and new compositions in the tradition of Korean music
- Popular vocals from pansori Chunhyangga
February 19: Sound and Spirit of Korea
- Showcase traditional sound and rhythm of Korea with Daeguem, Ajaeng, percussions and vocal.
- Perform traditional court & folk music
- Create multi-dimensional theatric experience thru traditional dance performance Salpuri and Seungmu and light show
February 20: Sound of Korea Meets Harlem
- Celebrating diverse heritage & ethnicity of Harlem, the final day of the festival will feature cross-over performances with Jazz, Blues and Rock where Korean instruments & vocal performs together with electric guitars, bass, drum and chamber ensemble. The finale would bring all performers together from past 3 days in music, dance and samulnori.
Artists
Chung Eun Han (Daegeum)
Chung Eun Han, one of the most influential woodwind players today, has been a focus of the artistic scenes of the Korean traditional music and its modern manifestations in Korea. Trained in the tradition of classical court music of Korea that traces its origin back to 5th ~6th century, Chung Eun pushes the boundary of Korean bamboo flutes, Daekeum and Sokeum to cross over the genre and brings the acoustic and soulful sound of bamboo flutes to today’s audience.
Well known by his eclectic repertoire from Chamber Ensembles to Jazz to K-pop, Chung Eun performed and collaborated over the years with renounced artist such as Bobby McFerrin, British Guitarist legend Martin Taylor, Swedish jazz guitarist Ulf Wakenius, Vocalist Inga Marie, and Composer and Pianist Ryo Kunihiko.
Chung Eun’s recent performance includes the historic inauguration of Park Geun-Hye, the first woman to be elected as President in South Korea, 2013 NYC Winter Jazz Festival with Sunny Kim, 2013 Lincoln Center Out of Doors ‘Sound of Korea,’ Opening Ceremony at 2013 Busan International Film Festival, and Closing Ceremony at 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
Chung Eun performed to sold out crowd in New York City at Somethin’ Jazz Club (Aug ’13) and Drom NYC (Jan ’14), and Startlight Forest Concert Series at the Korea Society, Rockwood Music Hall, and Poet’s Den Theater (Jul/Aug ’14).
Chung Eun also recorded various movie soundtracks to his credit; War of Arrows (2011), Portrait of Beauty(2008), Beyond the Years(2007), Spring in my Hometown(2006), crocodile(1996).
Hee Sung Lee (Painter)
Hee Sung Lee is a painter, a visionary and a published author from Hwasung-city, Korea that now resides in Park Ridge, New Jersey. Hee Sung’s inspiration comes from her meditation and dreams, as she pursues understanding of human and the universe. To Hee Sung, dreams are as real as the physical world as they are the link to our absolute consciousness, an insight to the human dynamics. It is through her dream state Hee Sung connects with the universe and the humanity. She often has premonitions of disasters.
Through Sanskrit ‘Om’ as recurring theme and a representation of Hee Sung herself, the viewer, or the humanity as collective being, she depicts the connection between human and the universe, and the creatures and their environment. The colors, sequences and symbols in her paintings are rooted in Asian philosophy and Vedic religion, yet familiar, as they are engrained in our daily life without us being aware of. Yet these colors, sequences and symbols resonate in a new way in her paintings, taking the viewers to a different dimension and evoking the energy of the universe.
Painted on a handmade paper with mixed pigments to achieve embroidery like effect, Hee Sung's paintings vibrate with light, warmth and feminine energy. At first glance they look like a tapestry, a sand mandala or paintings on ancient wooden temples. But closer examination reveals ‘Om’ morphing into Sun, Moon, serpents, birds, and various geometric shapes and patterns in harmonious rhythm. Beneath these jewel-like strokes is calligraphy giving the paintings overall strength and masculine energy.
For more information, please visit: www.eastharlempresents.org or call 212-427-1445.