The raw intensity of East Coast Korean shamanic music intersects with the structural precision of Western classical composition in “1+1=THE ONE: Inevitable Encounter,” set for April 4 at Kim Hee-soo Art Center SPACE 1. Presented by Hong Sung-hyun Art Company, the performance extends an ongoing inquiry into how traditional percussion can be recontextualized within a contemporary musical framework.
At the core of the production is a deliberate dismantling of the conventional hierarchy between melody and accompaniment. Composer Son Il-hoon, artistic director of Geumjeong Classic Week and resident composer of Ensemble Club M, constructs the melodic architecture, while percussionist Hong Sung-hyun anchors the work with rhythm. Rather than functioning in support roles, both elements operate on equal structural terms, forming a parallel musical dialogue.
Hong introduces a custom-designed multi-percussion setup that enables a single performer to generate layered, spatially dynamic sound. His solo work “Chaos,” built on a newly configured “Samjanggu” system, expands the sonic range to that of a one-person orchestra.
East Coast muak, the musical tradition associated with Korean shamanic rituals, integrates chant (muga), dance (mumu), and instrumental performance into a unified form. Unlike regionally melodic traditions, it is defined by a percussive logic that fragments rhythm into highly articulated patterns.
A key structural feature is honsobak, or mixed meter, where duple and triple subdivisions coexist within a shifting rhythmic grid. As tempo accelerates, the metric framework itself evolves, producing a continuously transforming rhythmic field. This fluidity is most evident in segmented rhythmic forms, where multiple metric units are combined to sustain long-duration performances without repetition fatigue.
The program comprises six works, each preserving the identity of its instrument while converging into a unified sonic outcome, “THE ONE.” Notably, the production rejects electronic augmentation entirely, relying instead on a strictly acoustic sound environment.
Among the featured works, “Two Faces_1 + Clarinet” draws on East Coast rhythmic variation and bolero-derived phrasing, while “Warm light_1 + Gayageum” juxtaposes a five-beat janggu cycle with differently tuned gongs operating across contrasting metric systems. These compositions articulate a refined model for integrating Korean traditional rhythm with Western instrumental language.
The performance brings together a cohort of accomplished musicians, including clarinetist Kim Woo-yeon, cellist Lee Ho-chan, daegeum player Cha Seong-eun of the Gyeonggi Sinawi Orchestra, and Lee Pyeong-eun, a certified practitioner of Gayageum Sanjo and Byeongchang, underscoring the project’s technical and interpretive depth.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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