Korean Classical Musician Donates Rare Recordings
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
Korean classical music or ``gugak'' artist Kim Ho-seong has donated over 400 rare items to the National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts (NCKTPA), the center said Monday.
The donation comprises of 413 audio recordings that date as far back as the Korean War (1950-53) and as recent as 2002. The collection, now part of the center's traditional arts archive, includes recordings of live performances by famous artists, including court music and folk songs.
The NCKTPA awarded appreciation plaques to Kim, a candidate for the title of Intangible Asset No. 41, and two other donors, Kwon Oh-seong, a member of the National Academy of Arts, and Lee Hae-sik, former professor at Yeungnam University. The three have donated a total of 3,445 items to the center.
The institute is currently preparing to makes its collection available to the public. It houses some 30,000 archival items, including audiovisual files, audio recordings and photographs on traditional music, dance and performance.