Cross-Cultural Music Workshops Receive Funding In New London

A Press Release From Custom House Maritime Museum

New London Maritime Society (NLMS) announces that Jin Hi Kim, a Guggenheim Fellow in Music Composition and internationally acclaimed innovative komungo (Korean fourth century fretted board zither) virtuoso, this week received an FY14 Arts Catalyze Placemaking - Arts Leadership grant from the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD)/Connecticut Office of the Arts (COA), in partnership with NLMS and Yale's CT Mental Health Center in New Haven. The grant allows  Ms. Kim to present her innovative Cross-Cultural Music Meditation Workshop (CCMM) in New London and New Haven in spring 2014. 

Cross-Cultural Music Meditation (CCMM)  originally was developed and presented by Jin Hi Kim as part of her Music Alive Composer-in-Residency with New Haven Symphony Orchestra, in 2009-2011.  The meditation practice builds on the historic universal role of music as an essential social, spiritual, healing and entertaining/celebratory function in society. " Music always has been deeply spiritual connection with people," says Jin Hi Kim.

"I feel very rewarded that this workshop has been so meaningful to a wide range of participants including inter-city students, clients at hospital, adults in general, and corporations who are looking for wellness in the lives of their employees." To make the workshop accessible to everyone, Ms. Kim and NLMS would like to find additional financial support. "I really hope we can identify local sponsors to make their participation possible."

 Cross-Cultural Music Meditation is a bi-cultural exposure to basic aesthetics and concepts of Asian philosophy, music and instruments enabling contrasts to Western music and creative thought.   

CCMM workshops include a group chant (sonic text) and  the formation of a creative music ensemble created through listening and playing various Asian percussion instruments. These instruments (singing bowls, finger cymbals, temple block, harmonium and clappers) have an historic role in various Asian meditation practices.  

Each workshop involves 10 participants and takes place over five consecutive days. Ms. Kim will present six different workshop sessions over three weeks (one week  in March, April and May, 2014) at New London's Custom House Maritime Museum, and one week of workshops at the Yale CT Mental Health Center in New Haven (date TBD).

At the conclusion of the residency there will be a culminating performance with participants and Kim's komungo (6 string Korean zither) performance.  The ancient komungo was historically performed for individual meditation by male scholars and will be an anchor to the daily sessions with all group members. Ms. Kim has been a pioneer of bringing this instrument into Western music in addition to being a leading international practitioner on the instrument ranging from symphonic performances to small group meditation practices.  

Ms. Kim has performed as a soloist in her own compositions around the world including at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center (Washington, DC), Smithsonian Freer Gallery of Art (Washington, DC), Royal Festival Hall (London), and Haus der Kulturen der Welt (Berlin).  

Currently Jin Hi Kim is composing two major new works which will premier in spring, 2014. Both works are responses to wars involving the American military in Asia. Child of War, dedicated to Kim Phuc who is renown for "the girl in the picture" during the Vietnam War, will be world premiered by The Mendelssohn Choir of Connecticut in pursuit of healing and peace, at The Quick Center, Fairfield, CT on April 6, 2014. One Sky, for Empire State Youth Orchestra and two Korean soloists, dedicated to the reunification of Korea, will receive its world premiered at Carnegie Hall on June 1, 2014.