Geomungo master Heo Yoon-jeong to perform in Montpellier on November 10

Geomungo master Heo Yoon-jeong and six artists will perform 'Masterful Harmony' at Salle Molière in Montpellier on November 10. The one-hour production, which blends music, song, and dance, will move to Brussels on November 13 as part of a European tour.

The Korean Cultural Center in France (Director Kim Dong-il) will present the invited performance 'Masterful Harmony' featuring geomungo master Heo Yoon-jeong at Salle Molière of the Opéra Orchestre National de Montpellier on Tuesday, November 10, at 7:00 p.m.

Poster for the invited performance 'Masterful Harmony' featuring Heo Yoon-jeong.

This performance is being promoted as part of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's 'Touring K-Arts' and is supported by the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE) and the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture. Immediately after the Montpellier stage, the performance team will move to Belgium to continue their European tour at Flagey, a leading cultural and arts center in Brussels, on November 13.

Seven artists breaking the boundaries of music, song, and dance dominate the stage

The performance will feature seven musicians, including Heo Yoon-jeong, Kang Min-su, Hwang Min-wang, Jo Seong-jae, Jeong Yun-hyeong, Choi Yeo-wan, and Choi Gyeong-eun. The stage will present a blend of different sounds and expressions for approximately one hour, combining geomungo, pansori, jeongga, ajaeng, percussion, and cello.

At the center of the stage stands geomungo master Heo Yoon-jeong. A holder of the National Intangible Heritage for geomungo sanjo and a professor in the Department of Korean Music at Seoul National University College of Music, Heo Yoon-jeong is active across traditional, improvisational, and contemporary music. She leads the world music group Black String and won the Grand Prize at the 1st Seoul Arts Awards in 2023 for 'Ak-ga-ak-mu Masterful Harmony'. In this performance, she will present traditional dance, which she studied under the late master dancer Choi Hyeon, alongside her geomungo playing.

Other musicians will join to add depth to the traditional Korean music. Kang Min-su and Hwang Min-wang will lead the flow of the stage with percussion and rhythmic patterns. In particular, Hwang Min-wang is a performer who has worked closely with Heo Yoon-jeong in Black String for a long time, contributing not only as a percussionist but also as a singer. Jo Seong-jae will add diverse tones to the ensemble by adding vocals and percussion to the deep resonance unique to the ajaeng, which is played by bowing the strings.

Vocal performances will be handled by Jeong Yun-hyeong, who performs pansori, and Choi Yeo-wan, who performs jeongga. During the Indangsu passage of the pansori 'Simcheongga' sung by Jeong Yun-jeong, the geomungo will add dramatic narrative by supporting the voice with a low, heavy resonance reminiscent of a drum. Choi Yeo-wan will present jeongga, such as yeochang gagok and gasa, in a trio with the geomungo and ajaeng, conveying the restrained beauty and delicate expression of traditional Korean vocal music. The cello played by Choi Gyeong-eun, the only Western instrument on this stage, will add depth and richness to the overall ensemble by blending with the traditional Korean instruments.

'Masterful Harmony' fills the venue with intense movement within silence

Originating from Goguryeo, the geomungo is a representative traditional Korean string instrument that produces a deep and solemn resonance by plucking or striking six strings with a bamboo rod. 'Masterful Harmony' is a work that captures the aesthetic of 'jeong-jung-dong' (movement within stillness), centered on the resonance of the geomungo, which moves dynamically within silence. Master Heo Yoon-jeong will present a stage where music, song, dance, and rhythm harmonize, blending 'ak-ga-mu' (music, song, and dance).

The fingertips moving the bamboo rod, the performer's breath, and the gestures of the dance lead the audience beyond merely 'listening' to the geomungo to an experience of 'seeing' it. The audience will be able to appreciate the three-dimensional charm of traditional Korean art by enjoying the sounds and movements together.

Korean performing arts continuing from Montpellier to Brussels

In celebration of the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France, the Korean Cultural Center is collaborating with the Opéra Orchestre National de Montpellier to intensively introduce excellent Korean performing arts during the 2026-2027 season. Following the successful performance by the group Chudahye Chagis, which drew approximately 850 spectators on October 13, various Korean stages will unfold in November. Following the Busan Metropolitan Boys and Girls Choir performance held from November 1 to 4, the invited performance 'Masterful Harmony' featuring geomungo master Heo Yoon-jeong and six artists will take the stage at Salle Molière of the Opéra Orchestre National de Montpellier on November 10. Subsequently, from November 20 to 22, the modern opera 'L’Opéra des fleurs', composed by Choi Woo-jeong, will have its French premiere as a joint production between the Korea National Opera and the Opéra Orchestre National de Montpellier.

Director Kim Dong-il of the Korean Cultural Center stated, "Based on close cooperation with major local cultural and arts institutions, we will continue to introduce various Korean performing arts more deeply across Europe and build a strong foundation for sustainable artistic exchange between the two countries."

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