On May 24, the KAIST Traditional Korean Orchestra held its first performance that included international students at Mirae Hall (N13). The orchestra performed to a busy hall, playing a selection of jeongak songs.

Jeongak music, or “proper music”, is a type of classical music that was performed in the royal court of the Joseon dynasty. It is often played at a slow pace, with non-metallic instruments. Jeongak music is the Traditional Korean Orchestra’s specialty, and its use of traditional Korean wind and string instruments distinguishes them from the other orchestra clubs in KAIST. The club has one public performance per semester, and this semester’s performance was the first to involve international students.

The decision to include international students in the traditional orchestra seems to be part of a larger move by the club to more actively engage with the KAIST community. In an interview with The KAIST Herald, club leader Hyun Seok explained, “We hadn’t really thought about [accepting international students] until Shubro (former KISA President Shubranil Sengupta) asked us. We thought that many international students would be interested in our traditional music and we wanted more students to get to know what we do.”

International students have been allowed to join the club since the start of the spring semester, and this is their first performance since then. When reflecting on his decision to accept international students, Seok mused, “Having international students in the club has been a good change… This semester gave us a good lesson about how our club should go on as a member of the international community.”

 

Copyright © The KAIST Herald Unauthorized reproduction, redistribution prohibited