Woven Silk - Concerto for Haeguem and Orchestra

Watch this video to learn about the Haeguem!

Program Note: "I was never a fan of the haegeum. I thought the sound was too exaggerated, until two years ago, when Sooyeon visited my musicianship class and jammed with the students. Students played a variety of instruments—three students were even playing inside the piano—and Sooyeon's haegeum was making the most delicate sounds with them. Since then, I have collaborated with her numerous times, and every time I am in awe of her instrument. 

With only two strings, the haegeum produces a wide range of dynamics, pitch, and mood. Nothing can beat the intensity and versatility of these two strings, made of thick woven silk thread. This piece is a tribute to those two strings. The perfect fifth interval (the tuning of the two strings) and 'string crossings' are the main motives of this piece. The inner string, usually less used due to its softer volume, gets more spotlight here. I wanted to bring out the quiet, intrinsic beauty of the inner string as much as the exterior power of the outer string. The orchestra plays a clear role, accentuating ornamentation or doubling resonance. The percussion is always an interruption, an extension of the usual cadential gesture that the drums play in Korean vocal music. 

I dedicate this piece to Sooyeon Lyuh and the UC Berkeley Symphony Orchestra, who have been the inspiration for this piece." - Jean Ahn