John Lennons toilet sells for $15,000 at auctionA toilet belonging to Beatles legend John Lennon sold at auction in Liverpool, Britain, on Saturday for 9,500 pounds ($15,000), nearly 10 times its guide price, AFP reported, quoting organizers. Lennon used the porcelain lavatory, which is painted with blue flowers and a blue border at the rim and at the base, when he lived at Tittenhurst Park in Berkshire, southeast England, from 1969 to 1972, the report said. The loo was removed when the house was being refurbished, and Lennon suggested the builder, John Hancock, take it home and "put some flowers in it," according to AFP. Instead, the builder carefully stored it in a garden shed, where it remained for 40 years until he died, and his son-in-law put it up for sale, AFP said. "It is unbelievable," said auction organizer Stephen Bailey after it sold for almost 10 times that. "We had bids coming in from all over the place but it went to a private overseas buyer." 비틀스 존 레넌 변기 1천760만원에 팔려 전설의 록그룹 비틀스의 존 레넌이 사용했던 도자기로 된 변기가 9천500파운드(한화 약 1천760만원)에 팔렸다. AFP 등 언론매체에 따르면 28일(현지시각) 리버풀에 있는 폴 메카트니 오라토리엄에서 열린 비틀Aug 29, 2010
Album review: SolaninOriginal Motion Picture Soundtrack `Solanin’ (Sony Music Korea) The popular manga by Inio Asano has made its way through the medium and onto the silver screen. `Solanin,’ released Thursday in Korea, tells the heartwarming tale of two young adults who decide to abandon the daily routines of their jobs and go after their dreams. The soundtrack ― featuring ent ― is a short escape (the OST runs under 30 minutes) that incites introspection through its quiet, wandering instrumental tracks that speak more of life episodes than standalone album tracks. The opening track starts off with sweet vocals, with the remaining ephemeral numbers involving flutes, keyboards and xylophones, inciting the lonely and random thoughts one would have on a rainy day, peering out the window and smoking a cigarette. - Ines MinAug 25, 2010
World music to entice local earsBy Han Sang-hee When jazz vocalist Nah Youn-sun went to visit a friend’s house in Paris, she was surprised to find that the friend was listening to Indian music, cooking Thai food and drinking African tea. The exhilarating experience has made her wonder why this is not common in Korea. The Gwangju World Music Festival is kicking off this month aiming to familiarize local audiences with ``world music.’’ ``There are many festivals held in Korea now, but we didn’t want to be just an addition to those. As festivals are like organisms, they can grow continuously with the right nourishment, but then they can also become instant failures. I believe the Gwangju World Music Festival will grow to become a healthy and exciting event,’’ In Jae-jin, artistic director of the event said during a press conference at the Seoul Press Center. Slated from Aug. 27 to 29, the event will hopefully vitalize the diversity of music and also help promote Korea as a musical hub in Asia. ``What we are trying to do in Gwangju is to create a gateway for world music to come to Asia and Asian musiAug 23, 2010
A chamber music playground with 7 starsBy Lee Hyo-won Forget the notion that classical music is difficult ― or even boring. The sight of chamber musicians engaged in a dynamic interplay of strings sighing and piano keys rolling easily reflects jazz’s roots in the classical tradition. It was afternoon on Aug. 17 at the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra’s rehearsal room in Jongno, Seoul. Chung Myung-whun, the artistic director, was not swinging the baton on a podium; he sat before the piano and seemed to be ― and actually was ― fooling around with a bunch of other artists. ``Chamber music is purely for fun. I haven’t performed solo for the past 25 years because (everything I do onstage) is 100 percent my responsibility. In a quintet on the other hand any mistake on my part would account for only 20 percent, and the rest of the 80 can still be good,’’ maestro Chung jokingly told reporters. But in all seriousness the 57-year-old was having an animated musical conversation through music with his fellow artists ― cellist Young Song (Song Young-hoon), 36, violist Kim Yu-ra, 25, violinist Kim Su-yoen, 22 and double basAug 22, 2010
Weekender A peculiar love song: Maestro Ahn Eak-tai’s AegukgaBy Lee Hyo-won It’s impossible to forget Yoon Do-hyun’s infectious rock tune “Oh, Pilseung (victorious) Korea,” which took the entire country by storm during the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup, as red T-shirt-clad fans cheered for South Korea in perfect unison. “Where there is pressure, there is folk dance,” according to Danish artist Fos, and the same can be said of other art forms and traditions that take root when groups are bound by a unifying sentiment or goal, be it love of the game or political propaganda. The power of folk music can be said to have propelled the adoption of Ahn Eak-tai’s “Aegukga” as Korea’s national anthem. Cult activities translate most palpably into popular culture, and many countries have picked up widely loved tunes as its national song. Just as the French opted for “La Marseillaise,” Ahn’s melody deeply resonated with Koreans’ collective feelings of bitter loss — and undying hope — during Japanese colonial rule (1910-45), and continues to define the Korean identity to this day. “Aegukga” literally means “Song for Love for the Nation.Aug 19, 2010
DJ Craze to make Korean debutBy Ines Min Turntables. Beat juggling. Scratching. Body tricks. DJ Craze was one of the first to bring them all together into a cohesive art form. This weekend, the American DJ will be making his Korean debut at clubs in Seoul and Busan for two nights of dance and catchy routines. Craze, who got his start at the age of 15 with a set of his brother’s decks, fell in love with the sound and action, instantly. ``I always thought being a DJ was cool,’’ Craze said, in an email interview with The Korea Times. ``I love the way you can control people’s vibes and how much fun you can bring to a party.’’ The three-time consecutive winner of the DMC World DJ Championships _ the only person to have done so ― helped revolutionize the industry with his multi-genre DJing, a combination of skills that others had yet to tap into. ``When I create a routine all I think about is how I can take it to the next level,’’ the 32-year-old said, constantly looking to raise the bar. ``I practice till I can't think no more and videotape myself just to see if what I've come up with looks fresAug 18, 2010
Album reviewsKyungyoon John Nam ‘Trio’ (STOMP MUSIC) John Nam brings a brilliant diversity to his fourth album, accompanied by Gregory Hutchinson on drums and Ben Williams on bass. The pianist, who has taken lessons from renowned artists such as Hank Jones, combines the skill of his light fingers with a passion for other music genres. The artist reinterprets the classic “For Heaven’s Sake” before reaching the funk of “Energy and Angular Momentum.” “Forward Motion” boasts sweet solo bassist Williams’ while Hutchinson’s drums provide moving, progressive beats throughout the album. But it is the original “Ocean Waves” that truly speaks out, with a languid piano working in mid-range for a melody that rocks back and forth, recalling solitude and memories. — INES MIN Aug 17, 2010
Nah: new tunes but still the Same GirlBy Han Sang-hee For jazz singer Nah Youn-sun, making an album is not just about recording good songs one by one, but choosing the perfect numbers that hold a particular meaning, not only for herself, but also for the listener, songwriter or, in some cases, the original singer. That’s why she picked tracks such as “My Name is Carnival,” “La Chanson d’Helene” and even “Arirang” for her new album “Same Girl”: because they reminded her of the background stories each song possesses, rekindled memories and also touched her heart whenever she sang them. The Korea Times met the 41-year-old singer at a hotel in downtown Seoul last week, andAug 17, 2010
Composer Danielpour: continuing a classical lineageBy Lee Hyo-won PYEONGCHANG, Gangwon Province ― It came with a storm. The Lacrimosa from Mozart’s Requiem was playing like a broken record inside Richard Danielpour’s head as he sat through 200 mile-per-hour headwinds. ``I realized I was fortunate to be alive,’’ the American composer told The Korea Times at the Aspensia Resort last week, recalling the intense flight to Berlin in the fall of 2002. The storm uprooted giant trees but planted the seed of inspiration for a new composition, "Lacrimae Beati.’’ ``As much as `Lacrimae Beati’ is about the Requiem of Mozart and his struggles to complete it, it is about my experience of (the piece) in the air,’’ said the Grammy Award-winning artist, who is only the third composer ― after Stravinsky and Copland _ to sign an exclusive recording contract with Sony Classical. ``I was able understand something about the terror of gripping onto life.’’ Meaning ``Tears of the Blessed One’’ ― with the blessed one referring to Mozart ― ``Lacrimae Beati’’ was commissioned and premiered by the New York-based Sejong Soloists. The chamber enseAug 16, 2010
JYP named global leader alongside Bill ClintonBy Lee Hyo-won Korean producer Park Jin-young, also known as JYP, received an award for global leadership in Altanta, Ga., alongside other celebrities such as former U.S. President Bill Clinton. The singer-songwriter was among eight individuals who were recognized for inspiring youths at the World Leadership Awards on Aug. 6. Park shared the Global Ambassador Award with Michelle Nunn of Hands on Network and the Points of Light Institute and Hital Muraj of CISCO Networking Academy East Africa. The award recognizes people ``whose investments in young leaders have advanced the local, national and international perception and recognition of young people, guaranteeing that more people recognize the power and potential of young leaders,’’ according to pop star Usher’s New Look Foundation, which hosts the event. ``Park was recognized for discovering and fostering young talent through local and international auditions. He was behind the making of top stars like Rain, Wonder Girls, 2PM, 2AM and Miss A, instilling hopes and dreams in the younger generation,’’ said JYP EntertainmeAug 16, 2010