Paraguayan musicians elated by World Cup after concert

By Lee Jung-inn

Korea Times intern

Imagine how it feels to watch your country's team win a very important game on TV during an overseas trip.

Such a rare opportunity came to three performers of Paraguayan traditional music here in Korea, who were delighted to watch their team advance to the World Cup quarterfinals after winning two games in a row.

"I was very excited to see our national team beat Japan last night in the last of 16 match so far away from our country," said 2007 Miss Paraguay Maria Jose Gomez.

The South American country edged Japan 5-3 in a penalty shootout. It was Paraguay's first entry to the quarterfinals in their eighth appearance in the tournament.

The 24-year-old Gomez is the singer of the three-member musical troupe.

The musicians also cheered the footballers in a group match at the Olympic Park in Seoul, June 20, watching the game on a large screen set up by Hyundai Motor Co.

The singer and the two harp-like arpa players gripped audiences in southern Seoul, June 24 as they performed in collaboration with Korean artists on 12-stringed zithers, gayageum, and other traditional musical instruments in a joint concert.

The concert was a warm up for the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2012, said Grace Lee, education-culture specialist and representative of the non-profit Korean American Youth Association (KAYA), the organizer of the concert.

Gayageum player Lee Ji-hye introduced traditional Korean tunes, following the opening number by large traditional flute daegeumplayer, Lee Myung-hoon.

The two players belong to the National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts.

The gayageum performance was echoed by the arpa, played by the two Paraguayans with their traditional music, including "Regalo de Amor," eliciting enthusiastic applause from the Korean audiences at the Mozart Concert Hall as the tune was very exotic to them.

The two players were chemistry major Lucas Gabriel and Edil Ramon, winner of the 2nd Paraguayan National Harp Festival in 2008.

The mood heightened when all the musicians performed the folk music of the two countries in a series - Arirang and another Korean folk song and two pieces of Paraguayan folk music, Pajaro Choguy and Recuerdos de Ypacarai.

Gomez's performance was the culmination of the concert, singing her country's traditional numbers in a graceful manner, matching her sexy look.

Earlier, she fascinated Korean audiences, singing Korea's most popular folk song, Arirang, in Korean.

She has been recognized for her vocal talent and won an award at a famous national junior song contest in 1999.

Paraguayan Ambassador Ceferino Adrian Valdez Peralta said he was very pleased with the concert that introduced his country's traditional music to Koreans for the first time.

He was doubly delighted by the victory of his country against Japan in the round of 16 match of World Cup.

"Everybody, including performers, came to my home to watch the game... more than 25 people. They started singing, playing harps. I didn't sleep for almost one night," said an elated Ambassador Valdez. "My e-mail was almost full of congratulatory messages from Koreans."

The three Paraguayan musicians also gave a similar concert at Ajou University in Suwon, south of Seoul, June 27.

They left Seoul on Saturday, the day of the quarterfinal match, where Paraguay lost to strong favorite Spain 1-0 and failed to join the last four.

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