News

Here I am in a Boeing A 340-600 plane in seat 56D, trying to sort my thoughts after a week full of intense impressions in the capital of South Korea, Seoul.

Throughout the years we've had some – not many, though – musicans rooted in Asian music playing at Roskilde. Their musical language is quite different from what we're used to in our part of the world, and therefore it can be difficult for us to relate to.

In Roskilde Festival's booking group we've been offered a number of Asian artists, but only few have ended up playing on our stages. But really, in our globalised world there ought to be more room at Roskilde Festival for music from Asia.

Therefore, I jumped at the offer of participating in the music expo Performing Arts Market in Seoul.

Besides experiencing a well-functioning and thought-through organisation and some kind and thoughtful hosts, I've been on an intense guided tour of Korean music in the year 2009. My stay in Seoul has offered both traditional sounds and fusion (or what to call it), presented at one exciting venue after the other.

From the religious the secular

There are lots to tell about. The religious end of the spectrum offered both Buddhist music and music related to shamanism. I was lucky to experience both, both traditional and fusion. In the secular end there were even more kinds of vocal-based music in expressions such as gagok and pansori – instrumental music on instruments that I've never seen nor heard of before.

Some of the most dynamic music that I experienced was built up around drums and dancing – much of it was true artistry. The last concert that I saw in one of the great palaces of the city was very impressive – ceremonial music from the court, practically a full-blown symphony.

As a true novice in Korean music it can be difficult to judge what was good and bad. Yet, you clearly sense aura, personality and star quality in lots of the bands that I saw.

Some of the more fragile music is not suitable for Roskilde Festival's big stages. But it would be nice if we – in a future not too distant – could experience artists from the now not-so-faraway East on one of the festival stages.

However, there's no need to wait so long. Already at this this year's Womex – held in Denmark from 28 October to 1 November – you can experience the Korean drum'n'vocals group Dulsori. Believe me, they are a live wire!