합창올림픽 강릉에서 2023 강릉 세계합창대회

It's time for our weekly Arts and Culture segment.
We have our culture correspondent Song Yoo-jin in the studio.
Welcome back, Yoo-jin.

Good evening.

Yoo-jin, I've not seen you in the newsroom for a little while.
Where have you been?

Jung-min, I just came back from Gangneung yesterday, over on the east coast.
I was there to cover the first half of the World Choir Games, the largest choir competition in the world.
The event started on Monday and will run until next Thursday.
This is Korea's second time hosting the Games, with the first being in Busan in 2002.
I had the privilege of enjoying mesmerizing performances from choirs from all over the world and had the chance to speak with some of them.
Let's take a look.

The "choir Olympics" have come to South Korea's east coast city of Gangneung.
Around 8-thousand participants from 3-hundred-24 choirs representing over 30 countries are taking part in this year's "World Choir Games."
While it's a contest, the atmosphere feels more like a festival.
Here, there are choirs that each with their own unique charms.
Among them is the 'Calling Choir' from Korea, who rose to stardom last year after earning a fourth-place finish at a Korean broadcaster's choir audition show.

"When most people think of choirs, they tend to imagine serene and classical music.
We wanted to break this stereotype and prove that a choir can perform in any genre.
We developed our own style, fusing hip-hop and pop with popping, locking, and waacking."

"And it's not just about competing.
The World Choir Games are also about sharing the joy of singing.
Throughout the 11-day event, choirs from all over the world are holding free concerts across the city like here at Gyeongpo Beach."


The lineup includes some of the really talented like the Diocesan School Old Boys' Association Choir from Hong Kong.

"We search very hard for our choir sound, a very distinct character, the sound of this choir, and then we tried to continue to build, look for new exchange opportunities.
We try to commission new work to keep ourselves fresh."


And there are those who embody the Games' theme of "Peace and Prosperity for All."
The Young People's Chorus of New York City is comprised of 2-thousand choristers ranging from eight to eighteen years old.

"Community is about bringing people together, learning from each other, and knowing that one song with many voices can bring peace and love."

There's also the Vognyk Choir from Ukraine.
Due to the ongoing war, the 38-member choir had to take a 16-hour bus ride to Poland to catch a flight to Korea.

"Our message is we want the world to know that our country is in pain right now, but there is always hope about peace."

"Singing has become a part of our lives.
It gives us hope and faith that things will get better."

The World Choir Games reminds us that music is a universal language that unites the world, transcending borders and cultures.

Such a compelling voice.
I heard that the results of the Part 1 competition were announced today.
Can you share the winners with us?

To my surprise, all three choirs, except for Ukraine's Vognyk Choir that I had the chance to interview, won the first prize in their respective categories.
The Vognyk Choir was invited to perform, not compete.
The 'Calling Choir' won in the 'Scenic Pop/Show Choirs' category, the 'Diocesan School Old Boys' Association Choir' in the 'Male Choirs', and the Young People's Chorus of New York City in the 'Children's Choirs' category.
I must say that simply listening to the first few minutes of their performance gave me the strong impression that they had the talent and dedication needed to be winners.

That sounds exciting.
With the second half of the Games approaching next week, what can we expect in terms of the participating choirs?

The choirs participating in Part 2 will start arriving in Korea today.
One worth keeping an eye on is Belgium's Amaranthe Choir.
They're currently fifth in the world and got the highest score in the previous World Choir Games held in Flanders in their home country.
Another choir to watch out for is the Dekoor Close Harmony Choir from the Netherlands, ranked 19th.
Before Part 2 starts, there's the highly anticipated 'Parade of Nations' scheduled for Sunday, July 9th.
It's considered the highlight of the World Choir Games, where choristers from different countries will walk through the streets of Gangneung dressed in their country's traditional costumes and sing.

Alright.
Thank you Yoo-jin.

My pleasure.

#Gangneung #2023_World_Choir_Games #Choirs #강릉 #세계_합창_대회 #합창_올림픽 #합창단 #Arirang_News #아리랑뉴스

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2023-07-07, 18:00 (KST)

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