
2018 WOMEX (World Music Expo) Official Selection
2018 Mundial Montreal (North America's World Music Summit) Official Selection
2019 SXSW (South by South West) Official Selection - DUO BUD
2021 SEOUL PAMS CHOICE Official Selection
Korean percussionist, performance artist, world musician, and producer Kim So Ra is celebrated for her uninhibited, boundary-crossing activities in the World Music scene. After the release of her 1st album A Sign of Rain in 2018, she successfully debuted in Europe and North America as an official showcase artist at the world’s biggest music exposition WOMEX 2018 and North American World Music Summit Mundial Montreal, respectively. In 2019, her first album A Sign of Rain was nominated for Korean Music Awards Best Jazz & Crossover Album. During her solo world tour, Kim was invited to reputable venues and festivals in 24 cities across 7 different countries in Europe and North America. In order to play and perform more freely with Korean rhythms, Kim has participated in numerous collaborations and projects, ultimately forming a genre of her own. She is on a continuous journey to explore the outer limits of Korean drumming, Korean performing arts, and world music at large to make new music that is both familiar yet distinctly hers.
The complex and energetic performances of Kim So Ra’s 2nd album Landscape (2021) are more expressive and less restrained. She aims to present the distinct rhythms and timbres of traditional percussion, changed yet unchanged, in a more modern and sophisticated format. Pungmul and Shamanic rhythms have been passed down for generations across Korea’s eight provinces. Through contemporary reimaginings of those traditional patterns and the expression of joy and release in her music, Kim aims to create a sort of ritual in which we can all take part in and find comfort. In the deep and boundless realm of Korean rhythms, there is endless variety. With the addition of the thick and raspy tones of the piri, the taepyeongso, and the saenghwang, Kim aims to provide immersive performances with a deep harmony between the performers that goes down to the breath. As you listen to the music of Landscape, may you reflect on the landscapes that lay before each one of you. Whether they are fantastic and joyful or desolate and dismal, may hope always be on the horizon.
Achievement
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2021 Seoul Art Market PAMS CHOICE Official Showcase Artist [Kim SO RA]
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2021 ARKO Selction Repertoire of the Year [Kim So Ra]
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2021 Kim So Ra’s Reflections [A sign of Rain] Publication
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2020 WOMADelaide, WOMAD N.Z Festival Official Performance [Kim So Ra]
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2019 Europe & North America World tour 22 cities 6 different countries [Kim So Ra]
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2019 South by South West (SXSW) Official Showcase Artist [DUO BUD]
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2018 WOMEX [The World Music Expo] Official Showcase Artist [Kim So Ra] Las Palmas de Gran canaria, Spain
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2018 Canada Mundial Montreal North America’s World Music Summit
[North America’s World Music Summit] Official Showcase Artist [Kim So Ra]
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2018 Seoul Music Week Official Showcase artist [Kim So Ra]
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2017 Ulsan Apam [Asian Pacific Music Meeting] Official Showcase artist [Kim So Ra]
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2016 France Babel Med Music festival official Showcase artist [DUO BUD]
Major Works
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kim So Ra - Landscape <2020>
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Kim So Ra Janggu Project III - A Sign of Rain <2017>
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Kim So Ra Janggu Project II - Rhythm Connections <2014>
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Kim So Ra Janggu Project I - Turn the Stage <2010>
Discography
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2021 Kim So Ra 2nd Solo album released [LANDSCAPE]
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2021 DUO BUD 2nd album released [BODERLINE]
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2019 Kim So Ra [Honam U-do Jeong cup Nongak Garak ] album released
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2018 Kim So Ra 1st Solo album released [A SIGN OF RAIN]
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2017 DUO BUD 1st album released [STARLIGHT CONSOLATION ]
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2016 DUO BUD Digital Single released [ LIGHT ]
2016 Numori 1st album released [Guna Guna]
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Studied Honam Udo under Master Yu Ji Hwa, horder of Jeongup Nongak
(Jeollabuk-do Province intangible cultural treasure No. 7-2)
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Founder and Director of Norikkot, Women’s Traditional Arts Troupe, Korea
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Founder of World music Duo ‘BUD’, South Korea
Awards
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Jung-gang Gukak Prize / South Korea 2018
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First Place ( KB Sori Prize) in World music Category at the Sori Frontier, JeonJu International Sori Festival in 2015 / South Korea
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First Place in the pungmul category at the 10th National Women’s Korean Traditional Music Festival in 2012 / South Korea
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First Place in the creative performing arts category at the 13th In-cheon Bupyeong Pungmul Festival in 2011/ South Korea
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First Place at the 10th Anseong Baudeogi Pungmul Festival in 2010
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First Place in the drum accompaniment category at the 11th Seopyeonje Boseong Sori Festival in 2009 / South Korea
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First Place in the percussion category at the 11th Bupyeong Pungmul Festival in 2007 / South Korea
Education
Kyung Hee University Ph.D. course completion. South Korea
Chung-Ang University, Bachelor, Master course Degree. South Korea
2012 August, Master of Music in Korean Music, Awarded a Full Scholarship.
2012 August, Master of Music in Korean Music, Awarded a Full Scholarship.
2004 Enter percussion and performance course at Chung-ang University’s School of Korean music, Awarded a Full Scholarship.
2007 Start master course at Chung-ang University’s Graduate school of Korean music.
2007 Studied Korean music for orchestra as minor at Chung-ang University’s School of Korean music.
2007 Early graduation with honors from Chung-ang University’s School of Korean music with major in percussion and performance.
Thesis: The Development of and Performance of Janggu Nori of Jeoungeup Nongak: with a Focus on Yu-Ji Hwa Janggu Nori.
Bachelor of Music in Korean Music, August 2007. Awarded a Full Scholarship
2020~2021
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7/3/2021 KIMSORA 2nd Album Release &Showcase @ Changdong platform 61
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6/11/2021 A Sign Of Rain @ GyoungJu
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5/31/2021 @JeonJu DaeSaSeupNori opening performance
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3/31/2021 DADAM Concert @NamWon National Gugak Center, Seoul, Korea,
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2/12/2021 JANGDAN:Conversation of the Breath @National Sawdust, USA
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5/8/2020 LANDSCAPE@Seoul National Gugak Center, Seoul, Korea,
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3/4-17 /2020 A SIGN OF RAIN@WOMADelaide, WOMAD NZ , KIM SO RA
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2/9-17/2020 BODERLINE @World Sacred Spirit Festival DUO BUD (India)
2019 KIM SO RA WORLD TOUR Europe & North America
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7/26/2019 @ Paris, France (TBD)
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8/15/2019 @ Yerba Buena Gardens Festival (San Francisco, USA)
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8/17-18/2019 @ Philadelphia Folk Festival (Philadelphia, USA)
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9/20/2019 @ Washington, DC (TBD)
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9/27-28/2019 @ Lotus World Music & Arts Festival (Bloomington, USA)
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10/2/2019 @ Ottawa, CA (TBD)
2018
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Womex18 Official Showcase Selection, 2018.Oct.24~28/ Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Islands,Spain - Kim So Ra
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Mundial Montreal world music summit official Showcase selection 2018 .Nov.13~16 / Canada Montreal
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Hyun Seung Hun x Kim So Ra duo Concert < Light :Beat > / 2018. Nov.9 New York Flushing town Hall
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Duo Bud tour in Taiwan , Korea Focus / 2018. Nov.3 Taiwan National Kaohsiung art center
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Oct. KimSoRa Solo Concert - Rhythm connections / 2018. Oct. 13 YeoJu, Korea
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Sep. YeunHeeDonghaeng concert /Korean traditional Young artist invite concert II / Yeoju, Korea -Kim So Ra
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Agu. Yeomindongrak concert /Korean traditional Young artist invite concert I / Yeoju, Korea -Kim So Ra
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May. NamWon Arts Village Festival .NamWon, Korea - Kim So Ra
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May. Korean traditional performing arts Festival .Seoul .Korea - Kim So Ra
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May. SEOUL MUSIC WEEK World music show case official selection, Seoul, Korea - Kim So Ra
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May. TEDxUBUD Festival official selection, Bali, Indonesia - Kim So Ra
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Apr. JinJu ,SamCheonpo Blossom of Norikkot
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Feb. 'Dark Silence' 2nd digital single - Duo Bud
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Feb. '빛&BEAT' Showcase , Platform Changdong 61 music curation ,Seoul. Korea - Hyun Seung Hun X Kim So Ra
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Jan. 'Starlight Consolation' Duo Bud Concert, Seoul. Korea
2017
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Nov. 'Starlight Consolation’ Duo Bud concert , Seoul. Korea
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Nov. ‘Color of the original Yeon Hee’, Wednesday Dance official selection, Seoul. Korea - KIM SO RA
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Nov. ‘Great to see you’, Seosan. Korea - KIM SO RA
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Nov. ‘A sign of Rain’, Gyeonggi Media performance festival, Yongin. Korea - KIM SO RA
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Oct. ‘ Starlight Consolation’ Duo Bud Concert, Cuba
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Oct. ‘Pungmul Korea’ Hyun Seung Hun x Kim So Ra Concert, Fukuoka.Japan
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Sep. ‘Color of the original Yeon Hee’ Wednesday Dance official selection , Seoul. Korea - KIM SO RA
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Sep. ‘Great to see you’ Asan, Korea - KIM SO RA
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Sep. ‘Gojip’ Jeonju international Sori festival official Concert, Jeonju. Korea - KIM SO RA
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Sep. ‘B3 Paradigm’ Jeonju international Sori festival official Concert, Jeonju. Korea - DUO BUD
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Sep. ‘A sign of Rain’ Ulsan World Music Festival A-pam music showcase official Selection, Ulsan . Korea - KIM SO RA
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Sep. ‘<Heart to Heart> Norikkot and Duo BUD, The Beauty of Janggu _ Kim So-ra
Creating the Sounds of Korea through Diverse Medium, Percussionist Kim So-ra Arirang TV HEART TO HEART talk show Special Guest -
Aug. ‘A sign of Rain’ Manpan- taste for the arts Program, < sponsord by the Excellent Traditional performing Arts for Seoul & Noreum Marchi Art Company> Seoul.
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July. ‘A sign of Rain’ Selected General Art program <sponsored by the Traditional performing arts forJeju Foundation for Arts and Culture. - KIM SO RA
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July. ‘ Starlight Consolation’ 2017 Okarina music Festival official selection, Bled lake. Slovenia - DUO BUD
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July. ‘Starlight Consolation’ Vienna
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June, ‘ MUPUNG’ Seoul. Korea - Norikkot
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June, ‘ The Magazine Gaeksuk'
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May, ‘Color of the original Yeon Hee’ 2017 Korean Traditional performing Arts Festival official selection, Seoul, Korea - KIM SO RA
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May, ‘ Starlight Consolation’ Seoul. Korea - DUO BUD
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April, ‘A sign of Rain’ Friday Empathy Concert, Seoul . Korea - KIM SO RA
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Feb, KBS GUKAK HANMADANG,- KIM SO RA
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Jan, ‘A sign of Rain’ Showcase in Mullae Art theater , Korea - KIM SO RA
2016
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Selected artist of Mullae Arts Plus <Map> KIM SO RA - <Sponsored by the Traditional performing arts for Seoul foundation for arts and Culture>
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Dec. ‘ Hope’ Namsan Choice program official selection - Norikkot
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Dec. 'Starlight Consolation’ Anyang Pung Ryu talk Concert, Anyang . Korea - DUO BUD
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Nov. ‘Kim So Ra JANGGU Workshop’ New York. USA
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Nov. ‘Starlight Consolation’ Chicago. USA
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Nov. ‘Starlight Consolation’ Monterrey. Mexico
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Oct. ‘Starlight Consolation’ Budapest. Hungary
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Oct. 'Color of the original Yeon Hee’ 2016 Korean Traditional performing Arts Festival official selection, Seoul, Korea - KIM SO RA
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Oct. 'Color of the original Yeon Hee’ Changdong Platform61 Sinawei & ragtime Concert , Seoul, Korea - KIM SO RA
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Sep. ‘ 2016 Feel the Wind’ Ullanbatore, Mongola - KIM SO RA
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Agu. ‘2016 Glden Melody Award’ , Ilan. TAiwan - DUO BUD
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Mar. ‘2016 Babel med Music festival’ official selection - DUO BUD

