2018 WOMEX (World Music Expo) Official Showcase Artist

2018 Mundial Montreal (North America's World Music Summit) Official Showcase Artist

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A multi-award winning Korean traditional percussionist, composer, and ambassador of Honam Province Jeongeup folk music, Kim So Ra is one of the most skilled and prominent Janggu (Korean double-headed drum) players in Korea. Kim is known for her genre-bending performances combining Korean traditional sounds with creative, charismatic and modern interpretations.

Kim is trained under the direct apprenticeship of human cultural asset Master Yu Jihwa. Kim has received eight 1st-place awards from major national music competitions since 2005, including National Nongak Master Competition, Gyeonggi Nongak National Competition, National Women’s Korean Traditional Music Festival, JeonJu International Sori Festival, just to name a few. These awards demonstrate her widespread recognition as one of the top Janggu players in Korea.

Kim has performed at WOMEX 2018 and Mundial Montreal 2018 as official showcase artist and Kim’s latest album, A Sign of Rain was nominated as the best jazz & crossover album at the Korean Music Awards 2019.

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PROJECT ON TOUR- Kim So Ra: A Sign of Rain features Korean master drummers Kim So Ra and Hyun Seung Hun,  joined by Lim Ji Hye, gayageum (Korean zither), and Lee Hye Joong, piri (Korean bamboo oboe). 

 

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Achievement

2019 SXSW (south by southwest ) Official Showcase Artist (DUO BUD)

2018 WOMEX (World Music Expo) Official Showcase Artist

2018 MUNDIAL MONTREAL (North America's World Music Summit)Official Showcase Artist

2018 Seoul Music Week Official Showcase artist

2017 Ulsan Apam (Asian Pacific Music Meeting) Official Showcase artist

2016 France Babel Med Music festival official Showcase artist

 

 

Major Works

  • Kim So Ra Janggu Project III - A Sign of Rain <2017>

  • Kim So Ra Janggu Project II - Rhythm Connections <2014>

  • Kim So Ra Janggu Project I - Turn the Stage <2010>

 

 

Discography

  • 2018 Kim So Ra 1st album < A sign of Rain>

  • 2017 Duo BUD 1st album <Starlight Consolation >

  • 2017 Duo BUD Digital Single < light >

  • 2016 Numori 1st album <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)

  • Founder and Director of Norikkot, Women’s Traditional Arts Troupe, Korea

  • Founder of World music Duo ‘BUD’, South Korea

 

Awards

  • First Place ( KB Sori Prize) in World music Category at the Sori Frontier, JeonJu International Sori Festival in 2015 / South Korea

  • First Place in the pungmul category at the 10th National Women’s Korean Traditional Music Festival in 2012 / South Korea

  • First Place in the creative performing arts category at the 13th In-cheon Bupyeong Pungmul Festival in 2011/ South Korea

  • First Place at the 10th Anseong Baudeogi Pungmul Festival in 2010

  • First Place in the drum accompaniment category at the 11th Seopyeonje Boseong Sori Festival in 2009 / South Korea

  • First Place in the percussion category at the 11th Bupyeong Pungmul Festival in 2007 / South Korea

 

Education

Chung-Ang University, 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

2019 

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2018 ​

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2017

  • Nov. 'Starlight Consolation’ Duo Bud concert , Seoul. Korea

  • Nov. ‘Color of the original Yeon Hee’, Wednesday Dance official selection, Seoul. Korea - KIM SO RA

  • Nov. ‘Great to see you’, Seosan. Korea - KIM SO RA

  • Nov. ‘A sign of Rain’, Gyeonggi Media performance festival, Yongin. Korea - KIM SO RA

  • Oct. ‘ Starlight Consolation’ Duo Bud Concert, Cuba

  • Oct. ‘Pungmul Korea’ Hyun Seung Hun x Kim So Ra Concert, Fukuoka.Japan

  • Sep. ‘Color of the original Yeon Hee’ Wednesday Dance official selection , Seoul. Korea - KIM SO RA

  • Sep. ‘Great to see you’  Asan, Korea - KIM SO RA

  • Sep. ‘Gojip’ Jeonju international Sori festival official Concert, Jeonju. Korea - KIM SO RA

  • Sep. ‘B3 Paradigm’ Jeonju international Sori festival official Concert, Jeonju. Korea - DUO BUD

  • Sep. ‘A sign of Rain’ Ulsan World Music Festival A-pam music showcase official Selection, Ulsan . Korea - KIM SO RA

  • 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. 

  • July. ‘A sign of Rain’ Selected General Art program <sponsored by the Traditional performing arts forJeju Foundation for Arts and Culture. - KIM SO RA

  • July. ‘ Starlight Consolation’ 2017 Okarina music Festival official selection, Bled lake. Slovenia - DUO BUD

  • July. ‘Starlight Consolation’ Vienna 

  • June, ‘ MUPUNG’ Seoul. Korea - Norikkot

  • June, ‘ The Magazine Gaeksuk'

  • May, ‘Color of the original Yeon Hee’ 2017 Korean Traditional performing Arts Festival official selection, Seoul, Korea - KIM SO RA

  • May, ‘ Starlight Consolation’ Seoul. Korea - DUO BUD

  • April, ‘A sign of Rain’ Friday Empathy Concert, Seoul . Korea - KIM SO RA

  • Feb, KBS GUKAK HANMADANG,- KIM SO RA

  • Jan, ‘A sign of Rain’ Showcase in Mullae Art theater , Korea - KIM SO RA 

 

2016 

  • Selected artist of Mullae Arts Plus <Map> KIM SO RA  - <Sponsored by the Traditional performing arts for Seoul foundation for arts and Culture>

  • Dec. ‘ Hope’ Namsan Choice program official selection - Norikkot

  • Dec. 'Starlight Consolation’ Anyang Pung Ryu talk Concert, Anyang . Korea - DUO BUD

  • Nov. ‘Kim So Ra JANGGU Workshop’ New York. USA

  • Nov. ‘Starlight Consolation’ Chicago. USA

  • Nov. ‘Starlight Consolation’ Monterrey. Mexico

  • Oct. ‘Starlight Consolation’ Budapest. Hungary

  • Oct. 'Color of the original Yeon Hee’ 2016 Korean Traditional performing Arts Festival official selection, Seoul, Korea - KIM SO RA

  • Oct. 'Color of the original Yeon Hee’ Changdong Platform61 Sinawei & ragtime Concert , Seoul, Korea - KIM SO RA

  • Sep. ‘ 2016 Feel the Wind’ Ullanbatore, Mongola - KIM SO RA

  • Agu. ‘2016 Glden Melody Award’ , Ilan. TAiwan - DUO BUD 

  • Mar. ‘2016 Babel med Music festival’ official selection - DUO BUD 

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