Ancient and contemporary music of China and Korea will be showcased in campus events

Traditional and contemporary musical traditions of Korea and China are the focus of a workshop and performance that will take place on Saturday, Nov. 2.

The two-part event will be led and performed by Asian Sound Revolution, featuring internationally acclaimed musicians and composers Jin Hi Kim and Min Xiao-Fen. Sponsored by the Council on East Asian Studies, the events will take place in the auditorium of Henry R. Luce Hall, 34 Hillhouse Ave. Both the workshop and performance are free and open to the public.

At 2 p.m. the musicians will lead a workshop that will provide a brief introduction to Chinese instruments imported to Korea; Korean court music; and old and new music for the Chinese pipa and Korean komungo. The audience will be encouraged to engage with the musicians throughout the workshop and during the question-and-answer sessions. At 4 p.m., a performance will showcase old and new improvisations that include traditional pieces and original compositions.

The komungo is a six-stringed zither indigenous to Korea that originated in the fourth century. The pipa — sometimes called the Chinese lute — is a plucked string instrument with a pear-shaped wooden body that has been played for nearly 2,000 years in China. The workshop and concert include other traditional instruments and vocals, as well as electric and prepared versions of the pipa and komungo music, which give a modern, computer-enhanced sound to the ancient instruments.

For more information, visit the Council on East Asian Studies website.