Monday, March 02, 2015

Snow White Korean-style!



Dermot Hudson of the KFA with some of the cast

 By New Worker correspondent

COMRADES and friends of Korea joined music lovers to see the Democratic Korean Youth Para Ensemble that is touring England for the first time with the support of the Korean Federation for the Protection of the Disabled.
. Twelve disabled children and young adults along with five other helpers demonstrated their immense artistic skills at Oxford’s Sheldonian Theatre and the Royal College of Music in London this week.
The DPR Korea performers were assisted by London-based Korean resident Prof Kim So Ock of the Royal Academy of Music and the 90-minute performance included not only traditional Korean music but also some popular western pieces such as the Phantom of the Opera.
Particularly impressive was the performance by Kim Myong Suk, who is blind, on the kayagum, a traditional Korean instrument. It was also delightful to watch a group of deaf children perform Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs with songs from the Disney classic including Heigh Ho! in Korean and Snow White dressed as a Korean fairy!
There was also a lovely rendition, in Korean and English of You Raise Me Up by Jang Mi Yon and the performance concluded with a spirited Kayagum version of the famous Korean song Arirang.
The performances showed that disabled people are treated well in the DPRK and are provided with all rights. The disabled in the DPRK live independent and creative lives with full living conditions provided by the socialist system.
One could see not only skill and creativity but dignity shining through. All in all a great night out and if you did not make the Oxford and London concerts plus try to make it to Cambridge for their last performance on 2nd March.


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