November 21st, 2010
I had the option of doing many traditional things for the day, but I was exhausted. Karjam and I went to 인사동 Insadong to pick up some things, that was it.
November 22nd, 2010
I managed a huge amount of productive editing in Starbucks. So worth the price of the coffee. After dinner I rushed to 붕산탈춤 Bongsan Talchum class. I wasn’t very energetic, few people were there (it was so cold outside), and we didn’t do anything out of the ordinary. My ear started bleeding this evening during class. Nice. As if the splitting pain (gone for days now), gunk from in the ear in shades of yellow and the reduced hearing wasn’t bad enough. I want to schedule a bunch more interviews but it’s embarrassing when I can’t properly hear the responses (don’t worry, I audio record).
November 23rd, 2010
I spent most of the morning working on videos, all of which I have now uploaded to YouTube and I’ve also linked them on my videos page (see above). They include the entire performance in 남원 Namwon. Did I mention that 송파산대놀이 Songpa Sandae Noli has my name printed in the programs when they perform? I love being a full member, not just someone who pays for classes.
I expected my classes to be useful for observations until at least the late spring, but I am already running out of things to say. I need exercise, and I need excuses to be part of conversations and to meet performers, but I may have to start observing other classes in other places in order to continue to get new observations. For example, 봉산탈춤 Bongsan Talchum has a class only for the regular performers that I could attend (but only as an observer), one of the 고성오광대 Goseong Ogwangdae performers teaches a class at an arts university and I could go observe that, probably. At any rate today was the second day in a row when I’ve felt there was not much to report from my class. I was one of four students at 상모 sangmo class today, I made no break-through in my ability, neither did anyone else. 이종휘 Yi Jonghui was absent, so we were taught by 변태원 Byeon Taewon.
Class consisted of: 30 minutes before official start of screwing around, sitting on the floor and talking about the violence from the North or spinning in a less than urgent manner. Then promptly at 8 we rotated (no spin) for 15 minutes (Jonghui would have kept us at it longer) then spun counter-clockwise for twenty-five, took a “five minute break” (ten? thirteen?) then spun counter-clockwise ten more minutes with stepping forward and back, then switched to clockwise, which two of us (me and another guy) can’t do more than a few of in a row, and a different student is still struggling with, we did that for thirty minutes (I managed 10 consecutive spins!) then switched to side-side-side-side where we spin 1.75 in one direction then switch directions. I managed to start out way too tight (trying to drum the 소고 sogo while spinning) but relaxed by the end of the thirty minutes. We quit a little early, but no one complained.
Showing posts with label 인사동. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 인사동. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Weekend with Ear Infection
November 13th, 2010
Georgy came to Seoul to see us and do some other things. Karjam and I took a walk on 남산 Namsan. The three of us went to see a movie in the theatre. The rest of the day I worked on interview questions, revising a paper, my PPT for the presentation on the 18th and so on.
Photos: In fact the colors aren't always this good, Korea's weather this year made them turn out especially bright and bold.
I like these photos with the distortion and the crud on the mirrors.
Yes, I look goofy. For one thing that's my extra ear protection look (hat tightened down for no air leaks with a scarf). For another thing, I just naturally look goofy. But my husband is hot.
I know, I'm lucky.
November 14th, 2010
The three of us had pancakes for breakfast. Georgy and I went to 인사동 Insadong and later to 신촌 Shinchon. My ear infection made me feel like someone was sticking crochet needles in my ear and into my brain and grinding them around. It felt that way on Saturday about three to four hours, on and off, Sunday the feeling started around noon and got more intense, it comes and goes in waves and is still very much in my head at the moment. On a big PShop kick tonight, scroll down for photos. As always, if you click on a photo you can see it larger.
Georgy came to Seoul to see us and do some other things. Karjam and I took a walk on 남산 Namsan. The three of us went to see a movie in the theatre. The rest of the day I worked on interview questions, revising a paper, my PPT for the presentation on the 18th and so on.
Photos: In fact the colors aren't always this good, Korea's weather this year made them turn out especially bright and bold.
I like these photos with the distortion and the crud on the mirrors.
Yes, I look goofy. For one thing that's my extra ear protection look (hat tightened down for no air leaks with a scarf). For another thing, I just naturally look goofy. But my husband is hot.
I know, I'm lucky.
November 14th, 2010
The three of us had pancakes for breakfast. Georgy and I went to 인사동 Insadong and later to 신촌 Shinchon. My ear infection made me feel like someone was sticking crochet needles in my ear and into my brain and grinding them around. It felt that way on Saturday about three to four hours, on and off, Sunday the feeling started around noon and got more intense, it comes and goes in waves and is still very much in my head at the moment. On a big PShop kick tonight, scroll down for photos. As always, if you click on a photo you can see it larger.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Sangmo Steps
November 2nd, 2010
In the evening I had 상모 sangmo class at the 임실필봉농악 서울전수관 Imshil Pilbong Nongak Seoul Training Center. Both instructors (이종휘 and 변재원) showed up for class, but because there were only 5 students and two instructors, Byeon Jaewon didn’t actually do any teaching. There were four groups despite having only five students. The girl from Seoul Women’s University is back (after a month off) and she hasn’t advanced her skills, so she was the lowest group, then me, then the advanced students could have been more or less together, except 비호 Biho has a performance this Saturday and he was getting special instruction to prepare him for that. The other two advanced students, 이현석 Yi Hyeonseok and 박찬곤Bak Chan’gon were working on steps and 소고 sogo movements, at a certain point after directing them to move in concert over and over and seeing them not able to match each other Yi Jonghui linked arms with both of them and marched them around counting out the steps as he went until they could do it without the linked arms (or the instructor in the middle). As for my own progress, I spent the beginning of the class frustrated, but then Jonghui had me practice some steps while spinning (to both sides, 양사위 yang saui) and sort of all of a sudden I looked like a real sangmo performer! It was super cool, he taught me three different step patterns and I managed the first two and was working on the third when class ended.
원중 Wonjung also came to class, although he just watched, he said he’s still almost unable to believe he’s really going to be a college student.
cell photo, not sure what day but in sangmo class obviously:
When I should have been working on writing this late into the night I was compiling a video of the highlights from Bukcheong Saja Noleum’s performance at the festival, you can find the video under the video tab.
November 3rd, 2010
Went back to the hospital, where I got tentative clean bill of health news, ate lunch and had coffee with 경진 Gyeongjin, bought 반찬 banchan in the market, went home, went to 인사동 Insadong, bought two 한복 hanbok shirts (one is a gift), went to meet someone who had the date wrong and stood me up (grrr…) came home and cooked and helped Karjam with Korean.
cell photo, Seoul street:
In the evening I had 상모 sangmo class at the 임실필봉농악 서울전수관 Imshil Pilbong Nongak Seoul Training Center. Both instructors (이종휘 and 변재원) showed up for class, but because there were only 5 students and two instructors, Byeon Jaewon didn’t actually do any teaching. There were four groups despite having only five students. The girl from Seoul Women’s University is back (after a month off) and she hasn’t advanced her skills, so she was the lowest group, then me, then the advanced students could have been more or less together, except 비호 Biho has a performance this Saturday and he was getting special instruction to prepare him for that. The other two advanced students, 이현석 Yi Hyeonseok and 박찬곤Bak Chan’gon were working on steps and 소고 sogo movements, at a certain point after directing them to move in concert over and over and seeing them not able to match each other Yi Jonghui linked arms with both of them and marched them around counting out the steps as he went until they could do it without the linked arms (or the instructor in the middle). As for my own progress, I spent the beginning of the class frustrated, but then Jonghui had me practice some steps while spinning (to both sides, 양사위 yang saui) and sort of all of a sudden I looked like a real sangmo performer! It was super cool, he taught me three different step patterns and I managed the first two and was working on the third when class ended.
원중 Wonjung also came to class, although he just watched, he said he’s still almost unable to believe he’s really going to be a college student.
cell photo, not sure what day but in sangmo class obviously:
When I should have been working on writing this late into the night I was compiling a video of the highlights from Bukcheong Saja Noleum’s performance at the festival, you can find the video under the video tab.
November 3rd, 2010
Went back to the hospital, where I got tentative clean bill of health news, ate lunch and had coffee with 경진 Gyeongjin, bought 반찬 banchan in the market, went home, went to 인사동 Insadong, bought two 한복 hanbok shirts (one is a gift), went to meet someone who had the date wrong and stood me up (grrr…) came home and cooked and helped Karjam with Korean.
cell photo, Seoul street:
Thursday, October 14, 2010
A Visit to Changwoo Theatre and Won Jung's Audition
October 13th, 2010
I stayed home doing computer work (mostly photos) all day, Karjam came home after his exam fairly pleased with himself, in the early evening we took a walk on 남산 Namsan (maybe I can upload photos later) while practicing his Korean prepositions.
October 14th, 2010
In the morning I went to class with Professor Hilary Finchum-Sung, the day’s lesson was on shamanic music. Her largest point was that the music used by hereditary shamans is often much more elaborate/sophisticated because they have been training throughout their life, whereas the spirit-descended (spirit infected/possessed) shamans often have to play catch up quickly, though they do sometimes hire the musicians of the hereditary shamans (often relatives of hereditary shamans) to accompany them. She offered an opportunity to attend a performance by her TA 기쁨 Gibbeum (seriously, I saw it written) and other students, I accepted. After class we bus/subway-ed our way to 북천 Bukcheon (a traditional neighborhood near 인사동 Insadong) and the small (approximately 80 seat) 창우극장 Changwoo Theatre. After a delay Gibbeum and her group (she’s the leader) of three women and three men singing 가곡 gagok accompanied by several musical instruments (양금, 장구, 가야금, 징 and probably others, I was really focusing on the singers) began the performance. They sang two extremely interesting pieces, her group is called 월하가인 Wolha Ga-in if you have a chance, see them. Then another group, called 아나야 Anaya played and sang several totally put-me-to-sleep numbers which could best be described as soft jazz with some Korean instruments (mostly overpowered by the guitar, bass, top hat & snare and chimes). In other words, I am not recommending this group, although competent, they were not exciting. [Anaya on Youtube, some of this is better than what they did today by far example 1, example 2, example 3]
After late lunch with Hilary I rushed home, grabbed a change of clothes, 미투리 mituri and 한삼 hansam and left for 봉산탈춤 Bongsan Talchum. On Thursdays we practice in the largest room on the 9th floor (북청사자놀음 uses the really large practice room above the theatre on that day), so I always visit the 봉산탈춤보존회 Bongsan Talchum Bojonhoi (Preservation Association) office before class. Today when I got there 원중 was jumping up and down to tell me he had made it to the second round in his application to the Korean National University of the Arts. So now I can tell you about the first audition.
There were 39 students who applied as specialists in 풍물 pungmul performance of some kind—they chose a piece on 장구 janggu, 꽹과리 ggwaenggwari, to show off 상모 sangmo skills while playing 소고 sogo or other such piece for their audition. Four students did mask dance, three 봉산 Bongsan and one did 강령탈춤 Gangnyeong Talchum. Six students did 무속 musok (shamanic performance and Won Jung didn’t have any details about what specifically they did, so sorry, I’m not sure) and three students did some aspect of 남사당 Namsadang. On the first day they all played 설장구 seoljanggu (while sitting) and on the second day they did the specialties listed above. Five test examiners sat in a row and watched them, with 김덕수 Kim Deoksu (a professor at the university), one of the most famous janggu players in Korea, a founder of the group 사물놀이 Samulnoli in 1978, and the child of a Namsadang 인간문화재 National Human Treasure, sitting directly in the center his arms crossed and his brow puckered in a frown. Won Jung told me he was so scared he even screwed up the easiest part of the beginning of seoljanggu. After he did his mask dance solo on the second day they asked him to sing the song that is sung by 취발이 Chuibali, the character he danced, and after he ended told him he’d done well. Of all these students (my math makes is 52) only 13 can enter the university. That must mean that 23 advanced to the second round, because Won Jung told me that ten more will be eliminated after the second round of auditions, to be held on Monday. At that time Won Jung has to sing, not his strongest point. I really hope he can make it. [video of 김덕수 Kim Deoksu playing 설장구 seoljanggu)
photo: Won Jung showed me the results on the computer, he was pretty pleased with himself.
Bongsan Talchum practice was pretty ordinary, we worked on the daesa of the 3먹중 (third dark faced monk) and practiced all the other normal stuff. 수미 Sumi, who has been absent, is back since her high school midterms are now over.
I stayed home doing computer work (mostly photos) all day, Karjam came home after his exam fairly pleased with himself, in the early evening we took a walk on 남산 Namsan (maybe I can upload photos later) while practicing his Korean prepositions.
October 14th, 2010
In the morning I went to class with Professor Hilary Finchum-Sung, the day’s lesson was on shamanic music. Her largest point was that the music used by hereditary shamans is often much more elaborate/sophisticated because they have been training throughout their life, whereas the spirit-descended (spirit infected/possessed) shamans often have to play catch up quickly, though they do sometimes hire the musicians of the hereditary shamans (often relatives of hereditary shamans) to accompany them. She offered an opportunity to attend a performance by her TA 기쁨 Gibbeum (seriously, I saw it written) and other students, I accepted. After class we bus/subway-ed our way to 북천 Bukcheon (a traditional neighborhood near 인사동 Insadong) and the small (approximately 80 seat) 창우극장 Changwoo Theatre. After a delay Gibbeum and her group (she’s the leader) of three women and three men singing 가곡 gagok accompanied by several musical instruments (양금, 장구, 가야금, 징 and probably others, I was really focusing on the singers) began the performance. They sang two extremely interesting pieces, her group is called 월하가인 Wolha Ga-in if you have a chance, see them. Then another group, called 아나야 Anaya played and sang several totally put-me-to-sleep numbers which could best be described as soft jazz with some Korean instruments (mostly overpowered by the guitar, bass, top hat & snare and chimes). In other words, I am not recommending this group, although competent, they were not exciting. [Anaya on Youtube, some of this is better than what they did today by far example 1, example 2, example 3]
After late lunch with Hilary I rushed home, grabbed a change of clothes, 미투리 mituri and 한삼 hansam and left for 봉산탈춤 Bongsan Talchum. On Thursdays we practice in the largest room on the 9th floor (북청사자놀음 uses the really large practice room above the theatre on that day), so I always visit the 봉산탈춤보존회 Bongsan Talchum Bojonhoi (Preservation Association) office before class. Today when I got there 원중 was jumping up and down to tell me he had made it to the second round in his application to the Korean National University of the Arts. So now I can tell you about the first audition.
There were 39 students who applied as specialists in 풍물 pungmul performance of some kind—they chose a piece on 장구 janggu, 꽹과리 ggwaenggwari, to show off 상모 sangmo skills while playing 소고 sogo or other such piece for their audition. Four students did mask dance, three 봉산 Bongsan and one did 강령탈춤 Gangnyeong Talchum. Six students did 무속 musok (shamanic performance and Won Jung didn’t have any details about what specifically they did, so sorry, I’m not sure) and three students did some aspect of 남사당 Namsadang. On the first day they all played 설장구 seoljanggu (while sitting) and on the second day they did the specialties listed above. Five test examiners sat in a row and watched them, with 김덕수 Kim Deoksu (a professor at the university), one of the most famous janggu players in Korea, a founder of the group 사물놀이 Samulnoli in 1978, and the child of a Namsadang 인간문화재 National Human Treasure, sitting directly in the center his arms crossed and his brow puckered in a frown. Won Jung told me he was so scared he even screwed up the easiest part of the beginning of seoljanggu. After he did his mask dance solo on the second day they asked him to sing the song that is sung by 취발이 Chuibali, the character he danced, and after he ended told him he’d done well. Of all these students (my math makes is 52) only 13 can enter the university. That must mean that 23 advanced to the second round, because Won Jung told me that ten more will be eliminated after the second round of auditions, to be held on Monday. At that time Won Jung has to sing, not his strongest point. I really hope he can make it. [video of 김덕수 Kim Deoksu playing 설장구 seoljanggu)
photo: Won Jung showed me the results on the computer, he was pretty pleased with himself.
Bongsan Talchum practice was pretty ordinary, we worked on the daesa of the 3먹중 (third dark faced monk) and practiced all the other normal stuff. 수미 Sumi, who has been absent, is back since her high school midterms are now over.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Mostly Errands
Photo: Actually I took this photo before Karjam arrived of our kitchen but things haven't changed much there...
September 1st, 2010
Today was (I guess?) my rest day, except there was very little resting. We went to the store and finally found the key maker in his shop. At 11:30 we went out to meet Professor Kathy Foley (UCSC) who is preparing for a museum exhibition on Korean performance. I took her to 전통국악사 Jeontong guk’aksa (Traditional Korean Music Store) and she bought all four 풍물 pungmul instruments, a 상모 sangmo, a costume and hat for pungmul players and we also went around and talked to people in many other stores, ultimately with no luck in finding just what Kathy wanted, although all of it may help her in some way (such as where to go back to, or to have a loose idea of what things cost). Tomorrow I take her to 봉산탈춤 Bongsan Talchum to see class and pick up some of their stuff. After she left Karjam and I went to the big musical instrument market (from all over the world but mostly Western musical traditions) and then 인사동 Insadong where we got 한복 hanbok for both of us (modernized styles in both cases, not the big fluffy pseudo court style), then I was all shopped out and I sat and had coffee while Karjam looked around until we both went home. Met Kimberely (really the spelling) H for tea in the evening. Glad to have a neighbor who is also a friend.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)