Korea-Europe music festival collaboration

[caption id="attachment_2426" align="alignright" width="345" caption="Dulsori"]

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Seven European festivals will showcase Korean music performance through a collaborative programme between the European Forum of Worldwide Music Festivals and Korea Arts Management Service.

The KAMS-EFWMF Tour Grant was launched in 2010 by the European Forum of Worldwide Music Festivals (EFWMF) and the Korea Arts Management Service (KAMS). The EFWMF‘s member-festivals can apply to KAMS for the grant, and Korean performance groups invited receive the grants including airfare and freight.

It is hoped that this program will contribute to promoting interaction between the EFWMF and Korean music groups by helping Korean performers establish a presence at EFWMF events and by supporting festival programs that feature Korean music.

Eight EFWMF festivals applied for the grant. The invited Korean groups include “Sonagi Project,” “Gut Performance - Mr. Dong-ho Choi,” “Dulsori,” “Be-Being” and “Ahn Sook-sun.”

“Dulsori” has been invited to four festivals – the Czech Republic’s Colors of Ostrava, the International Petra Festival and the Heraklion Festival in Greece, and the Roskilde Festival in Denmark – and should enhance the efficiency of Korean performers’ European tours through joint program at all four festivals.

Sfinks Mixed of Belgium requested “Gut Performance - Mr. Dong-ho Choi” and “Ahn Sook-sun” after two years of research conducted by its art director Patrick De Groote, who visited Korea in 2009-2010. The related programs will likely be based on the director’s well-rounded understanding of Korean music and performers. “Ahn Sook-sun” will be also presented at the Brave Festival of Poland under the auspices of Sfinks Mixed.

“Be-Being” has been invited to the Uppsala International Sacred Music Festival in Sweden. Part of a Buddhist music project, it will introduce unique Korean religious music to European audiences.

Austria’s Festival Glatt&Verkehrt has invited “Sonagi Project.” The Korean production was designed specifically for this festival, which celebrates world, contemporary and jazz music. Glatt&Verkehrt promotes collaboration among musicians from all over the world through joint projects with local cellists.

The 2010 KAMS-EFWMF Tour Grant will support the aforementioned festivals and performers to contribute to their co-prosperity.

Jury : Hee-Sun Kim (Professor, Kookmin University, School of Education)

Woo-Chang Hwang (World Music Journalist)

Yeon Woo (Director of International Dep. Korea Arts Management Service)