Traditional sound begins to breathe again in an unfamiliar way. Composer Baek Yumi’s original music performance “Jeongeum (靜音): Flow of Empty Space” will meet audiences for the first time on May 16 at Seoul’s Donhwamun Korean Traditional Music Center.
The performance marks the beginning of the “Jeongeum” project series, which reinterprets the aesthetics of Jeongak through a contemporary musical language. Rather than reproducing traditional melodies as they are, the work expands them into a new sensory space shaped by slow breathing, restrained resonance, and the silence that lingers between sounds.
The stage unfolds through the contrasting textures of geomungo, piano, and electronic sound. Traditional tonal structures overlap with modern harmonies and layered sound design, gradually transforming the music from something linear into something spatial.
The full program is structured as five connected scenes: “Prologue. Gongseong (空聲),” followed by “Part I. Breath,” “Part II. Flow,” “Part III. Resonance,” and concluding with “Epilogue. Water Lily.” Rather than functioning as separate compositions, each section is designed as part of one continuous breath, guiding the audience slowly through shifting emotional textures.
The music begins with subtle movements found in nature and the minute variations that emerge within repetition. Tiny changes create lingering air and resonance. The deep traditional timbre of the geomungo overlaps with piano melodies, while electronic sound expands the depth of the space, connecting different senses of time into a single current.
Geomungo performer Kim Hyuksoo and pianist Lee Seungwoo participate in the performance, while sound design is led by Jung Euisuk. Their roles do not remain separate, but instead function as different textures within one flowing structure.
Baek Yumi studied classical composition in the United States and later earned a doctorate in composition from the University of Hawai‘i’s College of Music. Her work has consistently explored the space between Korean traditional music and Western composition, reinterpreting traditional melodies through a contemporary sensibility. With the “Jeongeum” series, that exploration expands into a more immersive and spatial form.
Reported by News Culture M.J._mj94070777@nc.press
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