[Weekender] Civic orchestras spread love of music

The marching band of the historical Kyungbock High School in Seoul, founded in 1921, was disbanded in 1979 after a complaint was filed that the trumpet sound coming from the window might be a disturbance for the presidential office of Cheong Wa Dae, a few meters from the school. “It was the time when the U.S. President Jimmy Carter was visiting. It was a historical visit,” recalled Kim Hak-myung, 59, one of the former band members. The school reacted to the anonymous complaint by dissolving the

Oct. 17, 2014

[Weekender] Young, ambitious and in a gentleman’s game

If one is asked to picture a classical music conductor, it is safe to say that more often than not, the image which immediately springs to mind is that of an older male in a freshly pressed black-and-white tuxedo gently waving a baton.However, thrashing past these outdated stereotypes is 38-year-old maestro Sung Shi-yeon, who is making waves in the classical music world as a notable upcoming, young female conductor.Although her career has only just taken off, Sung has already received a number o

Oct. 17, 2014

[Weekender] ‘Real fulfilment comes from being in an orchestra’

As the principal timpanist of the Seoul Philharmonic, Adrien Perruchon stands in the back row, yet provides the orchestra’s heartbeat. The large drums’ deep resonance and gratifying boom plays an essential role in any orchestra. Beethoven loved timpanis for their rich sound and harmonic potential. Asked what attracted the 31-year-old musician to the instrument, he smiled. “You get to play with the orchestra, quite opposite from playing a piano,” he said. “Although the timpani can be played solo

Oct. 17, 2014

Transforming centuries-old artistry

Kim Young-jun was a star stock manager in the 1980s and 1990s when the Korean economy was on the rise, registering strong growth. He gave financial advice on TV and radio, and also wrote two books on stock investments. “I was a celebrity in finance,” said Kim. His advice proved worth heeding most of the time. The rule was, he said, invest when others don’t. Then, suddenly, he realized that all his life was built around the hollow world of the stock market. “I felt like I was a robot chasing mone

Oct. 17, 2014

Eyelike:Blake Shelton the adult shines on new LP

Blake Shelton the adult shines on new LPBlake Shelton“Bringing Back The Sunshine”(Warner Nashville)Blake Shelton’s public persona -- a mix of smart-aleck whimsy and thoughtful sensitivity -- has made him country music’s most ubiquitous male star. A full-grown man with a boyish cheekiness, his easy likability has made him a consummate award-show host, a high-profile judge on “The Voice” and a constant presence in ads across print, the Web and TV. His recent albums draw on both sides of this perso

Oct. 17, 2014

CL to make U.S. solo debut next year

CL2NE1 member CL will make her U.S. debut as a solo artist, YG Entertainment confirmed Thursday.The rapper will perform in the U.S. in spring under the support of Scooter Braun, who has managed global stars such as Justin Bieber, Psy and Ariana Grande, the agency added. CL has already prepared a number of songs for her first solo album in the U.S. Her rapping skills, English language fluency and fashion style are said to be what caught Braun’s eye. Meanwhile, 2NE1 is currently holding the world

Oct. 17, 2014

Super Junior to release special-edition album

Super JuniorSouth Korean boy band Super Junior will unveil a special edition of its 7th full-length album “Mamacita” on online music services next week, the group’s management agency said Friday.The special-edition album “This Is Love” will be released online on Thursday and in record stores four days later, S.M. Entertainment said.The new album has 13 songs, including nine tracks from the 7th album and three new songs, the company said.The veteran boy band notched their first No. 1 on a Billboa

Oct. 17, 2014

Korean artists featured in Frieze Art Fair London

LONDON ― Visitors are greeted by a variety of compelling contemporary artworks that defy the perception of an art fair as an art sales venue. Intriguing performances are held throughout the annual Frieze Art Fair that brings some 160 leading contemporary galleries from around the world to Regent’s Park, London. With the influx of high-spending collectors, Frieze London is also one of the most successful art fairs in the world, and its sales have been increasing. Damien Hirst’s 1993 fish cabinet

Oct. 16, 2014

[Herald Interview] ‘Dansaekhwa is a miracle’

LONDON ― From a Western viewpoint, Dansaekhwa paintings may seem confusing. They don’t fit into familiar key art movements in Western art history. First created in the 1960s, Dansaekhwa paintings may be in line with minimalism. But behind their simple imagery is much more complex meaning. They resulted from the suppressed freedom of expression that Korean artists experienced under authoritarian governments of the past. Artist Ha Chong-hyun, 80, recalls his selection of materials, looking at his

Oct. 16, 2014

R&B artist Bernat talks Korean success

From uploading home-recorded song covers onto YouTube to traveling around the globe and serenading thousands of fans, U.S. R&B singer-songwriter and producer Jeff Bernat has not only been recognized on an international level, but has managed to build himself quite a significant fan base in Korea. The 24-year-old artist from Reno, Nevada, is in Seoul for the second time this year, gearing up for his sold-out, four-show concert series that starts Friday at the Lotte Card Art Center. From marching

Oct. 16, 2014

Chris Brown leads nominees for Soul Train Awards

NEW YORK (AP) ― Chris Brown is the top nominee for the Soul Train Awards. The R&B singer racked up seven nominations, including best R&B-soul male artist and song of the year for “Loyal.” Beyonce earned six nominations and Pharrell Williams followed with five. Williams and Beyonce will be competing against each other for album of the year, along with John Legend, Drake, Janelle Monae and Michael Jackson. Hosted by Wendy Williams, the Soul Train Awards will be presented on Nov. 7 in Las Vegas. Th

Oct. 15, 2014

Five indie acts chosen for SXSW

Five Korean indie bands will fly to Austin, Texas, in March to take to the stages of the South by SouthWest Music Festival, according to the state-run Korea Creative Content Agency. The Barberettes, [su:m], EE, Asian Chairshot and Eastern Sidekick were handpicked by SXSW director James Minor during the Seoul International Music Fair, or MU:CON, hosted by the KOCCA from Oct. 6-8 in Itaewon, Seoul.  At the annual MU:CON, which brought in international music scouts from around the world, six more l

Oct. 15, 2014

Project group S returns to K-pop scene

Members of the legendary K-pop groups H.O.T and Shinhwa will return to the music scene later this month with their first album release in almost 11 years. H.O.T’s Kangta and Shinhwa’s Shin Hye-sung will team up with actor-singer Lee Ji-hoon for the album “Autumn Breeze,” to be released on Oct. 27. The three are of same age and belong to the same management agency ― SM Entertainment. The three formed a project group called Group S, and gained popularity with hit songs such as “I Swear” from their

Oct. 14, 2014

[SUPER RICH] Self-made millionaire’s passion for art

As a collector, artist and businessman, Kim Chang-il, president of Arario Group, has for decades run his own company while following his passion for art. This year, the self-made multimillionaire opened four new private museums in Korea to display part of the collection he has assembled over the past 35 years. For Kim, who launched his business in a humble cafeteria inside a bus terminal, galleries are a part of his longtime dream. Art, for him, is also a way to relive stress and help others rel

Oct. 13, 2014

Bjork plans to coproduce new album with Arca

NEW YORK (AFP) ― Bjork, three years after her wildly ambitious “Biophilia” multimedia project, says she is working on a new album coproduced by the Venezuelan DJ Arca.The Icelandic musical icon, known for her sweeping vocal range and conceptual imagery, apologized in a Facebook message for missing the London premiere of the “Biophilia Live” film and said she was “already working on her next album,” which will be out in 2015.Arca, whose real name is Alejandro Ghersi, said on Twitter that he and B

Oct. 13, 2014

[Herald Review] Herald Phil: A critic’s view

Corporate engagement in cultural activities is not only based on capitalistic motives. Rather, its impact is immensely positive in terms of encouraging people’s cultural awareness. The Herald Philharmonic Orchestra, an ensemble founded by Herald Corp., the publisher of The Korea Herald, held its debut concert Wednesday night at the Concert Hall of Seoul Arts Center.The newly created orchestra’s music director and conductor, Kim Bong-mee, opened the concert with the famous trumpet fanfare of “Tri

Oct. 12, 2014

John Lennon comes to life in N.Y. show

NEW YORK (AP) ― When John R. Waters first heard the Beatles on the radio as a teenager, he made more than one mistake. He thought they were Yanks. And he suspected not all of them were male. “They sounded like a Motown band and I thought there was a chick singer in there somewhere,” said Waters laughing. The British-born, Australian-based Waters soon learned the truth, but it never stopped his adoration of a band that he says “changed the face of song-writing.” Waters, an actor and musician, has

Oct. 12, 2014

Eyelike: Streisand’s timeless ‘Partners’ soars

Streisand’s timeless ‘Partners’ soarsBarbra Streisand“Partners” (Sony)Barbra Streisand’s “Partners” isn’t just about star-powered duets, but partnerships of love and family. It’s a love album for the ages, as fit for your anniversary as your parents’ or your child’s wedding. It could have been called “Timeless,” but Babs already used that title in 2000.Streisand sings with a stellar list of partners on her 34th studio album, including the awesome and unexpected: Andrea Bocelli, Kenneth “Babyface

Oct. 10, 2014

Akdong Musician makes chart-topping comeback

Brother-sister duo Akdong Musician’s new track “Time and Fallen Leaves” topped major K-pop charts within hours of its release at midnight on Friday. Siblings Lee Chan-hyuk, 17, and Soo-hyun, 14, topped all nine Korean online charts with their new digital single. “Time and Fallen Leaves” is written and composed by the brother Chan-hyuk, who also composed most of Akdong Musician’s songs. The song was originally made for their debut album “Play,” which came out in April. But label YG Entertainment

Oct. 10, 2014

EXO Luhan sues SM to end exclusive contract

Luhan, the Chinese member of K-pop boy band EXO, filed for the termination of his exclusive contract against S.M. Entertainment chief executive Lee Young-man and the star agency on Thursday.Luhan submitted the legal documents to the Seoul Central District Court allegedly to partially nullify the exclusive contract that he had signed on entering the country’s largest entertainment agency by market capitalization. Although the specific cause of the lawsuit was not publicly revealed, he is expected

Oct. 10, 2014