Today, Live in Studio A, Tom welcomes the Korean master percussionist Kim So Ra, and her husband and bandmate, Hyun Seung Hun.
An award-winning Korean traditional percussionist, composer, and ambassador of Honam Province Jeongeup folk music, Kim So Ra is one of the most skilled and prominent janggu (Korean double-headed drum) players in South Korea. Kim is known for her genre-bending performances that combine traditional rhythms with modern interpretative styles.
Kim has received eight 1st-place awards from major South Korean music competitions since 2005, and has also showcased at international music festivals such as WOMEX 2018 and Mundial Montreal 2018. She is currently on a major European and North American tour. Her latest album, A Sign of Rain, was nominated as the Best Jazz & Crossover Album at the 2019 Korean Music Awards, the South Korean equivalent of America's Grammys.
Hyun Seung Hun, who accompanies Kim on a traditional buk drum and brass gong, is also a versatile musician and dancer.
This segment was livestreamed on WYPR's Facebook page; you can watch the video here.
Kim, Hyun and a traveling ensemble appeared Friday night at the Creative Alliance here in Baltimore. For more information, click here.
