Abu Dhabi: The Berklee Abu Dhabi will kick off the “Harmony Across Cultures Concert,” the final concert of its cultural exchange program during the holy month of Ramadan.
This comes after the ensemble, which is made up of musicians from both Bait Al Oud and Berklee Abu Dhabi, performed successfully at the Jeonju International Sori Festival (JISF) last year, as well as at the first exchange concert featuring “Duo Bud” at Abu Dhabi Art.
Master Korean percussionist Dong-Won Kim, who is renowned for his proficiency in vocalization, improvisation, and traditional Korean percussion, will be featured at this event. He will be joined by Haegeum musician Kook Jaewhan and Daeguem player LEE Sung Gu. Along with these Berklee Abu Dhabi alumni, the concert will include violinist Yarub Smarait, qanoonist Haleem Al Khatib, Salman Baalbaki (directed by Berklee professors), and pianist Samvel Gasparyan.
The event is set to take place on March 28th at 20:00 and will showcase a stunning fusion of Arabic and Korean music.
Lee Yong-hee, Cultural Attaché of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea to the UAE, said that, “The fact that Berklee Abu Dhabi, one of the most prestigious cultural institutions in the United Arab Emirates, is organizing a Ramadan event by inviting Korean artists during the holiest month of Ramadan shows the deepening horizons of cultural exchange between the two countries.”
An encouraging accomplishment in terms of fostering future bilateral cultural exchanges, he also urged the Korean and TAWASL artists who took part in the Jeonju International Sori Festival, a representative international cultural and artistic event in Korea, to further cultivate their relationship through collaboration even after the event concluded.
The Korean Cultural Center will provide seminars on Korean name writing and mother-of-pearl creation in addition to the unique Ramadan performances. They will also prepare Korean food for Iftar, which is anticipated to serve as a platform for cultural exchange showcasing different Korean cultures.