Posted on Jan 28, 2009

With just a drum and her voice, Chan E. Park will offer an intimate glimpse of ancient, Korean culture Tuesday, Feb. 3,  at 7 p.m. in Emerson Hall in the Taylor Music Center.

Park, an associate professor of Korean language, literature and performance studies at Ohio State University, will present a demonstration of p’ansori. This distinctive type of solo storytelling surfaced about three centuries ago in the southwestern part of the Korean peninsula.

Chan E. Park will give a p'ansori performance Tuesday, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. in Taylor Music Center.

“I really wanted to bring in someone who does p’ansori because it’s an incredibly interesting East Asian narrative form,” said Jennifer Matsue, an assistant professor of music, Asian Studies and anthropology. “Performers come on stage with percussion and they tell these vibrant stories.”

Much of the vibrancy of p’ansori comes from the way in which it is conventionally performed. In most cases, the storyteller alternates between stylized speaking and singing. Often, the storyteller sings detailed descriptions of each scene, including the thoughts and actions of the characters. Plot summaries and commentaries are spoken.

During her visit, Park will also give a p’ansori workshop to students in Matsue’s East Asian Music Cultures class.

In addition to her performance, which is free and open to the public, Park will give a lecture on p’ansori. Matsue said the lecture will be in English, though she believes much of the actual p’ansori demonstration will be in Korean.

The event is sponsored by The Korea Society, Thurston House, Music and Culture House, and the Departments of Music, East Asian Studies, and Women’s and Gender Studies. For more information, contact Matsue at matsuej@union.edu or 388-8075.