WORDS UNSAID, Music by Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR)
by Eunbi Kim
2021 OPEN STAGE
“Goodbye 460 Park, Building the Future Together”
Presented by the Korean Cultural Center New York
Friday, June 25, 2021, 12 pm
KCCNY YouTube Channel
The fourth performance we present is WORDS UNSAID, MUSIC BY DANIEL BERNARD ROUMAIN (DBR) by the pianist, Eunbi Kim.
Eunbi Kim’s program has a meditative and personal nature comprised of contemporary classical music written specially for her by Emmy-winning composer Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR) for solo piano, pre-recorded voices, and drum kit, with custom lighting design by Chris D’Angelo.
The program is titled "Words Unsaid" because of the way these pieces delve into feelings that often stay hidden, just beneath the surface.
Inspired by the death of the musician Prince, the first piece, "Songs for the Alone" explores what those left behind often feel but can't express. Premiering for the first time at the Korean Cultural Center in its format of piano and drum kit (with guest musician Wen-Ting Wu), “Songs for the Alone” is described by its composer, DBR, as “intimate works exploring the moods and modes and feelings of isolation, personal inquiry, and the questioning of ourselves. Each movement expresses grief and depression in their own way. And like any trial or test, there are fleeting moments of light and rare glimpses of love.”
The second piece, "It Feels Like A Mountain, Chasing Me," came out of a conversation one evening where the composer Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR) drew out of Eunbi thoughts about her relationship with her Korean immigrant parents that had always been, but not truly known. Through what feels like eavesdropping on a conversation told in snippets of time and memory, the music and voices work in tandem to create a unique soundscape and personal experience for every listener to reflect on their own memories and past.
Eunbi Kim recommends listening with good headphones or speakers to fully experience the rich tapestry of sound that DBR and she have woven.
PROGRAM
1. Songs for the Alone (Premiere)
Written for and Performed by Eunbi Kim (piano)
Composed by Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR)
Guest Musician: Wen-Ting Wu (drum kit)
I. UnJoy
II. UnLove
III. UnKnown
2. It Feels Like a Mountain, Chasing Me
Written for and Performed by Eunbi Kim (piano)
Composed by Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR)
Eunbi Kim (Pianist)
Wen-Ting Wu (Drums)
Chris D’Angelo (Lighting Designer)
Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR) (Composer)
Pianist Eunbi Kim is creating new ways of experiencing concert music as a performer, speaker, and arts advocate.
Her adventurous recitals, cast in venues across the United States, are characterized by their vividly personal themes ranging from mental illness to familial memories, and have received international recognition in television and in print. Most known as the creator of music-theater work Murakami Music, she has also recorded an album of Fred Hersch’s rare concert music, premiered work by Emmy-nominated composer Daniel Bernard Roumain (DBR), and gave a TEDx talk in 2017.
Her forthcoming album will be released on the label Bright Shiny Things, featuring new works written for her by DBR, Angelica Negron, Pauchi Sasaki, and Sophia Jani. She is based in New York City.
ABOUT KCCNY’s OPEN STAGE
First introduced in 2012, Open Stage has been playing a crucial role in presenting opportunities for rising performers not only based in New York but also directly coming from Korea to display their talents to a wide New York audience. Now in its 7th season, Open Stage is continuously expanding its existing platform, presenting various genres of works including Korean traditional music and dance, modernized Korean creative world music, jazz, as well as contemporary dance and theater. This year, through a highly-competitive process, six groups have been chosen to put on yet again another uniquely wonderful showcase, online.
To check out the lineup of <2021 Open Stage: “Goodbye 460 Park, Building the Future Together”>, please click here.