"Pansori is a form of musical storytelling, otherwise known as ‘Korean Opera’ or ‘Korean Epic Chant’, where one singer interweaves harmony with a drum and the audience.

 

The singer tells a very long story, following the beats of the drum and combines elements of song, narration, and gestures, becoming all the characters of the story, including the narrator.

 

Essentially for the singer, the whole body from head to toe becomes the instrument. With the desire to replicate the sound and expression of an original Pansori singer, I am pursuing performing a reconstruction of the Story of Shim Cheong on Baroque violin for my Project.

 

Shimcheongga is one of the most mournful and tragic stories among the five remaining in Korean Epic Chant. It is a tale of a girl named Shim Cheong and her transformative filial piety to her blind father. She sacrifices herself so that her father can regain his eyesight.

 

I believe that this story is one of the best stories to connect anyone to Pansori. It portrays almost every kind of lament and sorrow one can experience in their life. Tears of sadness, grief, sorrow, loss, even happiness and joy." - Christi Park