An award-winning group of Korean musicians who have performed in over 60 countries, and in hundreds of cities worldwide is making a stop in the Township of Langley this Wednesday evening (July 18).
Noreum Machi is one of the many acts appearing at this year’s Summer Festival Series at the Willoughby Community Park Amphitheatre, located next to the Langley Events Centre.
This free concert will begin at 7 p.m. Residents are encouraged to bring blankets, lawn chairs and picnic baskets to the performance.
Noreum Machi specializes in the traditional virtuosic percussion music known as Samul-Nori. Samul means ‘four objects’ and Nori means ‘play’ and it is performed primarily with four traditional instruments — Jang-Gu, Buk, Jing, and Kkwaenggwari. The Jang-Gu represents rain, the Buk clouds, the Jing wind, and the Kkwaenggwari represents thunderstorms. The first two also represent the sound of earth, while the second two represent the sound of heaven.
Founded in 1993, Noreum Machi takes its name from a term used by Korean troubadours to indicate a combination of skill and timing, referring often to players so skilled no one dares to follow them. Noreummachi is also the name of the star clown in the group, a jester of sorts, who comes in at the very end to wrap up the show.
The group is lead by pansori major (musical storyteller) Juhong Kim, who is also their artistic director and vocalist. Other members of the group are Hyunji Oh and Howon Lee (percussionists) and Taeho Kim and Youngjun Kim (wind instrumentalists).
“We are so fortunate in getting Noreum Machi to perform here in the Township while they are on their North American tour,” said Peter Tulumello, the Township’s director of arts, culture and community initiatives.
“They are a spectacular and highly sought after group that has performed at significant and major music festivals worldwide.”
Noreum Machi, this month, has performed at the California World Fest and the Vancouver Island Music Fest. After their performance in Langley they are headed to the Mission Folk Music Festival.
For further information email festivals@tol.ca, call 604-532-7562, or visit the Township’s events website, www.tol.ca/events/
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