On the morning of June 18 around sixty colorfully clad students gathered at Disneyland California Adventures with drums of varying size. Minutes later a voice announced to a waiting audience "Ladies and gentlemen please give a warm welcome to the team led by Tiger Kang and Kang Dae-Sung the PAVA samulnori team from Los Angeles!"
These students were students selected by the Pacific American Volunteer Association also known as PAVA and they had practiced for months for this event. They performed Korean percussion also known as samulnori which utilizes four different types of drums- a big gong known as a "jing" round drums called "buk" long double-sided drums called "janggu" and small metal plate-like gongs called "kwaengwaree."
The performers were taught by Mr. Kang Dae-Sung and they came from all over Southern California from thirteen districts including Los Angeles the San Fernando Valley Arcadia and Phelan. The audience was awestruck at the prowess of the performers including one man who remarked that "he was amazed and struck speechless."
Jane Kim one of the leading kwangwaree players and a rising senior from the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies had many things to comment on the performance. "I thought this performance wasn't bad at all. It might not have been the best but it was definitely one of our better ones. It was so fun and rewarding because all of us together worked so hard to get where we're at now and we were able to showcase our accomplishments and our culture in a really public place."
What makes samulnori different from other cultural activities? "Samulnori is only one of countless music genres in the world but there are elements that make it unique" Jane says. "We don't have notes for example; we memorize the rhythms and the patterns. Our cues come from the lead instruments the kwangwarees so as a group we have to listen carefully for those cues and even the audience can pick them up if they pay close attention. Samulnori is also very loud and raucous almost cacophonous but we're actually very much in sync with each other. Our clothes also tell much: Koreans are festive passionate people fond of bold outstanding colors."
Susan Kim a rising junior from the Cate School offers a viewer's perspective "I thought that it was good. I liked listening to it and I loved the energy. It brought back memories of my childhood and made me learn that kwangwaree isn't as annoying as I thought it was. I think it's beautiful; music in general is beautiful. Plus I really love looking at the clothes. It's part of what defines samulnori. I also liked the beats especially the call-and-answer portions of the kwaengwaree."
The PAVA samulnori team will be performing at the Hollywood Parade and are practicing hard to excel at the worldwide venue.
Chiyoung Kim
10th grade, North Hollywood High School
Student Reporter
These students were students selected by the Pacific American Volunteer Association also known as PAVA and they had practiced for months for this event. They performed Korean percussion also known as samulnori which utilizes four different types of drums- a big gong known as a "jing" round drums called "buk" long double-sided drums called "janggu" and small metal plate-like gongs called "kwaengwaree."
The performers were taught by Mr. Kang Dae-Sung and they came from all over Southern California from thirteen districts including Los Angeles the San Fernando Valley Arcadia and Phelan. The audience was awestruck at the prowess of the performers including one man who remarked that "he was amazed and struck speechless."
Jane Kim one of the leading kwangwaree players and a rising senior from the Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies had many things to comment on the performance. "I thought this performance wasn't bad at all. It might not have been the best but it was definitely one of our better ones. It was so fun and rewarding because all of us together worked so hard to get where we're at now and we were able to showcase our accomplishments and our culture in a really public place."
What makes samulnori different from other cultural activities? "Samulnori is only one of countless music genres in the world but there are elements that make it unique" Jane says. "We don't have notes for example; we memorize the rhythms and the patterns. Our cues come from the lead instruments the kwangwarees so as a group we have to listen carefully for those cues and even the audience can pick them up if they pay close attention. Samulnori is also very loud and raucous almost cacophonous but we're actually very much in sync with each other. Our clothes also tell much: Koreans are festive passionate people fond of bold outstanding colors."
Susan Kim a rising junior from the Cate School offers a viewer's perspective "I thought that it was good. I liked listening to it and I loved the energy. It brought back memories of my childhood and made me learn that kwangwaree isn't as annoying as I thought it was. I think it's beautiful; music in general is beautiful. Plus I really love looking at the clothes. It's part of what defines samulnori. I also liked the beats especially the call-and-answer portions of the kwaengwaree."
The PAVA samulnori team will be performing at the Hollywood Parade and are practicing hard to excel at the worldwide venue.
Chiyoung Kim
10th grade, North Hollywood High School
Student Reporter
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