Second Dolce Concert to mark 78th anniversary of Composer Lee An-Sam’s birth

By Seok-jae Kang
Vice President of Asian Journalists Association

SEOUL: The second Dolce Concert will be held at the Yun Bong-gil Memorial Hall in Seoul, Korea, on September 14 to celebrate the 78^th anniversary of the birth of the Great Korean composer Lee An-sam.

Since 2016, the Dolce Martine, led by Chung-Ang University Prof. Emeritus Ryee June-il, has organized such a concert every year for composer Lee.

The second Dolce Concert will feature 22 gagok pieces, most of which were composed by composer Lee, who passed away in August last year. Gagok, in Korean, refers to a genre of vocal music using lyrics from a poem.

Soprano Jung Sun-hwa will perform “In a Low Voice,” a song written by poet Ko Young-bok and “A Summer Full-Moon Night Correspondence,” written by poet Han Sang-wan.

Baritone Seok Sang-geun will perform “Twilight,” a song written by composer Lee, and “If I Could Stay with You,” a song written by poet Seo Young-soon. Baritone Choi Kyung-jin will perform “Sotdae,” a pole signifying prayer for good harvest, written by poet Kim Pil-yeon, and tenor Chung Sae-wook, a former vice president of Myongji University, will perform “Deep in My Heart,” a song written by poet Kim Myung-hee.

Baritone Kwon Young-tak will perform “One Mind,” a song written by poet Chun Se-won, while soprano Jang Hyun-ju and soprano Kim Bo-young will perform “Yoelliji (Endless) Love” and “The Love of Wolnyeonggyo,” respectively, both lyrics from poet Seo Young-soon.

“The late composer Lee An-sam has played a pivotal role in helping Korean gagok  gain popularity among Korean people and it can be another form of the Korean wave or ‘hallyu,” said Dolce Classic President Ryee June-il.