Seo Jungmin

Saturday, June 22
Doors: 7:00p
Performance: 7:30p
At the Roxbury Arts Center
5025 Vega Mountain Road, Roxbury

Encounter the rich history of Korean shamanism from a modern composer’s perspective. Seo Jungmin, a pioneering Korean Gayageum artist and composer, will present her latest work One, My Utopia. Inspired by the shamanistic ceremony known as the Gut or Kut.  This innovative performance features Seo playing 25-string Gayageum, a Korean string instrument similar to a Chinese guzheng or Japanese koto, as well as multi-award winning Korean Pansori singer Kim Yulhee and renowned percussionist You Byungwook.  

Shamanism has played a roll in Korean society for centuries despite several periods of suppression by Japanese colonialists and Christian missionaries.  Today it is a thriving practice in Korea with an estimated 300,000 active shamans, most of whom are women. Individuals may request a shamanic ritual to seek good luck, to ward away negative spirits, or connect to lost loved ones.  The dances, percussion and music that Korean Shaman’s use to channel spirit entities serves as a ripe subject to explore for contemporary dancers and musicians like Seo Jungmin This evening promises to be a feast for the senses, blending centuries old tradition with modern applications to create a truly unforgettable experience.

Extend your Korean Experience with Dinner and a Show! 

We are so excited to share that our friends at Cafe Mornings in Arkville (12 minutes from the Roxbury Arts Center)  are offering a special dinner service on Saturday starting at 5pm so you can extend your Korean  experience to include a delicious Korean dinner before coming to hear the masterful performance of Seo Jungmin.  Diners who are attending Seo Jungmin’s show will be treated to a complimentary tea! We recommend getting yourself to the restaurant between 5 and 6pm to ensure you have enough time to get your seats for the 7:30pm show.

This engagement of Seo Jungmin is made possible in part through the Performing Arts Global Exchange program of Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. This program is supported in part by Center Stage Korea, Korea Arts Management Service, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Arts Council Korea. All programs offered by the Roxbury Arts Group are supported by the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the NYS Legislature, the A. Lindsay and Olive B. O’Connor Foundation, the Robinson Broadhurst Foundation, The Community Foundation for South Central New York, the Tianaderrah Foundation, Mid Atlantic Arts with support from the National Endowment for the Arts, The Delaware National Bank of Delhi, and by the generosity of business sponsors and individuals like you.