Korean traditional music invading Belgium

A couple of weeks ago,  the Korean Cultural Center hosted Gugak on Tour, inviting Baudouin de Jaer and two musicians coming exclusively from the National Gugak Center Contemporary Gugak Orchestra, presenting both traditional Korean instruments, the daegeum and the janggu in a series of different venues located in sundry cities of Belgium.

This event started with the first workshop in Leuven, where Baudouin de Jaer did two different workshops and lectures, each one dedicated to one of the instruments, starting with janggu, and then focusing on daegeum, which introduced this instrument to flute students, allowing them to try and experience it.  Not only that but on the first day, there was also a concert programmed and around 45 people could enjoy the traditional Korean Music.

The most striking day could be the 15th when Baudouin de Jaer presented both instruments in a lecture and concert adapted to children. Around 65 kids enjoyed and stared at the composer and the two musicians talked and played about janggu and daegeum, “ I was really surprised, I could never have thought kids would be so interested in Korean traditional music. I was open-mouthed”. The same day a group of adults were also able to participate in the workshop concert, and a few hours later, another concert was scheduled too.  The audience in that performance was composed of adults and seniors, but surprisingly you could devise a school group, all the audience was so into the live music and they looked very much interested. 

All three lectures and workshops in Brussels were also very good and interesting. Even though the first workshop wasn’t as successful as expected, the late-night concert in the Korean Cultural Center was more than a success, the performance hall was full and the audience was enjoying it. “The sound of the music was very peaceful, I had never heard something like that in my life, and I got into some type of trance because of the melody”.  The repertory was not too long with a fifteen-minute pause between both parts.  The day after the concert in the Korean Cultural Center, Baudouin de Jaer and both musicians went to Brussels-Nord as an end of the tour in the Belgian capital, that day was very magical. In the workshop, everyone was very hyped, and the composer taught everyone how to accompany the music with sounds and reciting, while the concert was on, you could hear the audience participating and creating a familiar and connected atmosphere that nobody didn’t expect to happen.  Also, in that concert, Jaer hosted a friend to go to the stage and play pansori, which was very impressive, and again the audience didn’t expect it but it was so pleasant and well-received. 

The last event happened in Liege, in the Conservatory. Lots of young adults and students of the institution attended the workshop/ lecture and concert.

These eight different events that welcomed the Belgian community were beneficial to understanding and experiencing Korean traditional music and its sounds and tones.