It's not new to find artists these days putting modern twists on the traditional, but what
happens when you flip things the other direction?
Our Yim Yoon-hee joins us to show us.
The National Orchestra of Korea is a leading group here in Korea, known for being quite
versatile.
They can play both traditional Korean instruments and classical period instruments.
Recently they've created a new type of performance, I think you'll find quite interesting.
Take a look.
The steady beat, then a slow build up,... in adrenaline,... in instruments, but suddenly,...
it goes back to the where it all started.
It's a rhythmic cycle, of going forward, then backward, of building momentum then somehow
finding a way back home.
It's a reversal,... an undoing of what's been done.
[KOREAN] "The term 'Yuck ' can be translated to 'reverse,'
and is an important term in East Asia.
Everything has movement,... a flow of life that's part of a cycle, where now going in
reverse is essential to start again."
But it's in this process of going in reverse, where something new is born.
And instead of snare drums and piccolos, the National Orchestra of Korea members have taken
up their buks and piri's, along with other traditional Korean instruments,... to recreate
the steady tempo of Maurice Ravel's classical piece Bolero.
It's a task easier said than done, as traditional Korean instruments are usually played to songs
that follow the rhythm of traditional Korean music,... a rhythm that greatly contrasts
compared to Western styles.
[KOREAN] "Rhythm is very important in Bolero, from
start to finish the same rhythm stays consistent.
But we didn't take it as is.
{{{Instead we reshaped it through an ancient Korean tune, called ...[sound bite]...This
is the representative rhythm of traditional Korean music and so we pulled out the core
elements then applied it as a skeleton to Bolero}}}}, ...[sound bite]...People can leave
behind the old Bolero rhythm they once knew, and take with them this new Bolero rhythm
we've created."
Through a reverse, a new sound is created.
But "yuck" can also mean change,.... and that's just what these musicians intend to do whether
it be with the rhythm or with their instruments.
It's a term that holds importance in Korean culture, an idea that with the end of one
cycle, is the start of another,... a chance for a new beginning.
What does the rest of the program look like?
They have a few other parts to their performance.
They'll also be performing a toccata piece, where everything is about the fast moving
plucking or striking of instruments, including the Marimba.
They'll also be performing a popular Samulnori piece, which is a traditional Korean percussion
quartet.
But I noticed that's it's only available for a limited time.
With this performance, it's only available tomorrow night, but it has big ambitions.
One of their themes is the idea of integrating Korean DNA into classical music.
Director Won Il has been with the National Orchestra of Korea for a couple years now,
since 2012, and he really blew people away because he was the youngest director ever
to lead them.
He's been working really hard at creating innovative Korean orchestral music, and that's
how we get performances like Reverse.
Thank you for that report.
You're welcome.