#komungo

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South Korean musician Jin Hi Kim fuses an electric version of the komungo with video in Digital Buddha.

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South Korean musician Jin Hi Kim fuses electric komungo with video in Digital Buddha — The Vinyl Factory

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— by Lazlo Rugoff: Incheon-born composer and musician Jin Hi Kim first began her studies of traditional Korean music in South Korea during 1973.

Focusing extensively on the komungo, also known as the goguryeo – a Korean fretted-board zither that originated in the fourth century – Kim helped to bring the instrument to global attention when she developed the world’s…

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The komungo is a traditional Korean instrument that dates back to the 4th century. Now the ancient instrument is being played in modern, western-style arrangements.

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Jin Hi Kim

I enter the throat of a mighty deity and I am taken on a serene journey over lush lands of golden prosperity. Crimson skies fall upon an imperial blue mist that orbits all mountains. These imposing rocks desperately seek the deep indigo within the spiritual orb. Delicately shuddering into electric blue mythical waters, I am awash with reflection and a study of my inner state. The warm qualities that layer my cranium force my skeleton to exit the body and dissolve into the rich soil of some far-off tranquillity.

Yet, there is a high level of complexity behind this placid journey...

The highly talented and internationally acclaimed South Korean composer Jin Hi Kim certainly paints a beautiful landscape with the dulcet tones resonating in her cosmic atmosphere. She is credited with introducing the western world and contemporary music scene to the fourth century fretted board zither, the Komungo. Studying traditional Korean music from the age of 16 she later grew interested in learning about the music and cultures of other nations and countries. Emigrating to the United States of America in 1980, Jin Hi Kim has carved out a fruitful career working with and performing alongside musicians from around the globe. Incorporating traditional Korean methods to her work she also integrates her own style of which she has dubbed ‘living tones’ which explores various melodic forms and musical technicalities. Describing this concept, she explains that ‘The conceptual basis for living tones, which is the essential element in Korean traditional music, is that each tone is alive, embodying its own individual shape, sound, texture, vibrato, glissando, expressive nuances, and dynamics. ‘Living tones’ can take on a dramatic weight that makes music rich.’

Watching live footage of Jin Hi Kim playing the acoustic or her very own self-designed electric Komungo is fascinating. Her fast paced attitude to playing summons our true emotions, conjuring a state of euphoria or even dark psychosis. In a TV interview with Korean broadcasting channel AriangTV, the enthusiastic presenter observes that Jin Hi Kim is more famous abroad than in her home country of Korea. It is also discussed that the Komungo was always traditionally played by male scholars for court music rather than folk music. Austere in purpose, Jin Hi Kim has in fact pushed boundaries by designing the electric Komungo and its accompanying computer program. In one of PRI’s The World weekday interview features, Jin Hi Kim states that ‘when I meet new orchestral members I communicate with them that it’s the attitude and how you express your soul in the orchestra.’ And this is clearly what matters to her.

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SGT_105 by Kwagu on Flickr.

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Jin Hi Kim - Ek For JC