NY Philharmonic in Pyongyang, yawn

This has been big news locally and also the NYTimes wrote extensively about it of course.

Turns out that the Philharmomic played "Arirang", which is one of the standard folk songs my Kayagum class learned.

Sure, sure, this visit is unprecedented, and has major diplomatic ramifications and so on, and yes this is a world class orchestra. But, be honest, wouldn't you rather be listening to an old time string band?

You're in luck next week, as the US Emabassy Cultural Affairs Office is sponsoring a series of five concerts with my band the Five Points Serenaders here in Seoul and in Gyeonggi Province at Yeoju University, where we are giving a concert for all of the students in the music school.

We are going to play old time tunes as a band and also give solo examples of technique on fiddle, fingerpicked guitar, and clawhammer banjo. We are also going to be having at least one square dance that I will be calling.

Here is the poster produced for the square dance:



There is another poster for the whole thing but I haven't seen it yet.

The first show will be at a coffee house in my neighborhood, a great place that we frequent. This is a unique coffee shop--you are served and then you pay whatever you think is appropriate in a little box by the door. There is an English sign out front that says "Coffee and Bagel." And, you are always offered 1/4 of a bagel with your coffee. So, naturally, we thought that was the name, and it was the name I have used all along in setting this up. I found out this week that the place is actually, strangely, called "Yellow Towel." I have no idea what that could mean, I need to ask the owner Min.

The second show will be at Sogang, we are hoping to have a dance if it works out in the hall. Then the Yeoju show, and then two shows at the Embassy's Information Resource center.

If you are in Seoul and want directions, email me.

If the Philharmonic gets headlines and is credited with thawing relations, I should think a few good versions of 'C-H-I-C-K-E-N" or "Streak of Lean, Streak of Fat" should usher in world peace.

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