Musicians educate audience

A Samulnori ensemble performed at the Mathers Museum of World Cultures Thursday. Samulnori is a traditional Korean musical style that uses percussion instruments. The ensemble is a group of four IU students each playing a different instrument. \nSamulnori is made up of two root words: samul which signifies "four things" and nori which means "to play." Thus, Samulnori suggests four people play instruments in the performance.\nEach of the four instruments produces a sound reminiscent of one of nature's basic elements. The Soe, a small shiny cymbal-like instrument, produces a sharp striking sound representative of thunder. The Jing is similar to the Soe, but it is significantly larger and provides a more enduring sound that emulates wind. The Janggu, a two-sided drum, floods the ear with alternating high and low pitch beats, reminiscent of rain. The Buk is a drum-based instrument with a puffy sound conjuring images of a sky full of clouds.\nBob Duke of Noblesville, Ind., enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere of the Samulnori ensemble.\n"I was impressed with how interactive it was," Duke said. "The music seems to have a lot in common with other primitive music around the world."\nBefore a single note was played, the Samulnori ensemble led a hands-on workshop to give the audience a chance to learn a little about the origins of Samulnori and its significance to Koreans today. Everyone who attended the concert was given the opportunity to learn how to play one of the four instruments featured by the Samulnori ensemble.\nAfter giving the audience a primer on the history and importance of Samulnori, the ensemble moved the crowd with a few spirited rhythms interspersed with a little flair and bouncy lyrics.\n"I was really impressed with the way they mixed in lyrics with the musical performance," said Joon Ko, a senior majoring in East Asian studies who has witnessed musical performances like Samulnori. "It was fresh."\nThe Samulnori concert is part of an ongoing series of performances and instructional demonstrations featuring student talents, as well as homegrown and renowned artists outside of Bloomington. Through these, the Asian Culture Center wants to bring Asian cultures closer to the University and Bloomington community.\nSamulnori ensemble leader Jinsob Choi hopes students and Bloomington residents will learn something about Korean culture through coming to the concerts.\n"Our group was made last summer because I found that even though there are many Korean students and residents, I had not had many chances to see and join Korean culture and activities," Choi said. "This Samulnori workshop was part of our efforts to let others learn about Korean culture."\nThe Samulnori ensemble performs every Saturday at different locations. For more details on the time and location of the next performance, e-mail Jinsob Choi at jinschoi@indiana.edu.\n-- Contact staff writer Joshua Hamm at jodhamm@indiana.edu.