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Jeng Yi
| This is a Korean drum, dance and music ensemble based in Toronto.
They perform an exciting and dynamic repertoire of original compositions
and dance works as well as traditional pieces.
The group is comprised of male
drummers who perform primarily on four percussion instruments:
two kinds of leather drums and two kinds of metal gongs. Not
just accomplished musicians, the members of Jeng Yi are also
dancers and perform the dances with the Sangmo, a ribboned hat.
According to legend, the streamers would have shards of glass
or metal and were used as weapons during battle.
Jeng Yi was formed in 1998.
In 2002, the ensemble performed their first full-length recital
of traditional works at Artword Theatre in Toronto. In the following
years, the ensemble composed and presented traditional and original
works in a series of annual recitals. The ensemble has recorded
the best of these works for their debut CD, titled 'The Occasion',
released in the fall of 2005.
They have been
invited to and performed at the University of Toronto, Sunfest,
The Toronto Fringe Dance Festival, CanAsian Dance Festival, Brampton
Folk Festival, Toronto Art Expo, Algoma Fall Festival, the Milk
International Children's Festival and numerous Harbourfront festivals.
The ensemble also performed as accompanists in choreographer
and composer Peter Chin's Dora Mavor Moore Award-winning dance
work, 'Bite'.
Charles Hong, founder and leader
of Jeng Yi, has been drumming and dancing since 1990. From 1992
to 1996, he apprenticed under Kim Duk Soo, master drummer and
leader of the world-renowned group, Samulnori. He returned to
Toronto in 1996 and soon after founded Jeng Yi.
Besides his works
with Jeng Yi, he has also performed extensively in dance, music
and theatre productions all across Canada including the Guelph
Jazz Festival, Canada Dance Festival, Internationalle du la Monde
Montréal and McMaster University Concert Series. He has
worked with Kiyoshi Nagata, Peter Chin and Yvonne Ng. He is currently
teaching a credit course in Korean drumming at York University
and University of Toronto.
www.jengyi.com | info@jengyi.com
Comments on our practice here
in Canada | "We
seek to be ever-inquisitive musicians, expanding the vocabulary
and repertoire of traditional Korean music in a land and culture
that is far removed from its birth-place. In upon our encounters
of different music and musical practices in Canada, we have found
much new inspiration in our endeavour to become innovative composers
and performers."
Press Quote | "....slick, polished, talented
and vastly entertaining..." Globe and Mail
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