Sunday, May 4, 2014

LUNA CHOLONG KANG : FRENZIED FLUTE & FANCY FASHIONS @ CARNEGIE HALL

Sketch by Louda Larrain of the costume worn by flutist Luna Cholong Kang while performing 12 Fantasias, provided by Louda Larrain

When celebrated couturier (and fabulous friend) Louda Larrain emailed sketches of her latest endeavor, my excitement elevated. Costumes and Carnegie Hall become the talk of the town and Friday couldn't come fast enough. Presented by Ear to Mind, solo flautist Luna Cholong Kang completes a technically diverse and expressively innovative performance at Carnegie Hall Friday evening, wearing a series of costumes crafted by Louda Larrain. Pushing the limits of music beyond traditional technique, Kang flawlessly integrates musical performance and movement. Fittingly, Louda's fluid looks add to the emotive qualities of the overall presentation. 

Sketch of costume worn by Coco Karol during her performance of Masks Op 3, provided by Louda Larrain

Entering the stage with effortless elegance and a steady sequence of shifting sounds, Kang and dance performer Coco Karol merge music and movement, dissolving the conventional outlook on musical performance as static. The beaded eyes of Kang's white headpiece peek at the audience while Karol's mask of red lips (and white teeth) purports a menacing mouthful of pebbly whites during Oliver Knussen's Masks, Op. 3. Program highlights include a skillfully executed world premiere of new works by composers Julia Wolfe and Inhyun Kim. Saving the best for last, Kang ends the program with a simultaneous montage of live performance and instantly replayed live recording. Brilliant!

Opening set, Masks Op. 3 performed by Luna Cholong Kang and Coco Karol 


Concert musician and soloist Luna Cholong Kang was born in Korea. She earned a Master's degree from Yale University and recently completed an orchestral performance program at the Manhattan School of Music. To validate achievement, Kang has received numerous accolades including first prize of Umack Chuncu, Younsan National Flutist and Music Journal Young Musician's Award.Fiery passion and technical mastery are evident in Kang's style and it will be interesting to see what's next in her world of musical artistry. 

Luna Cholong Kang (L) and Coco Karol (R) at the end of Mak


Coco Karol is a veteran performer, having previously collaborated with an assortment of photographers (i.e. Steven Sebring), musicians (i.e. Bjork) and other artists (i.e. Koh Ohtera, Louda Larrain). With the intent of furthering her creative vision, Karol founded Red Sole Productions, a company for production of dance-based media. In her artist statement, Karol notes "I create work that negotiates journeys through physical and emotional landscapes, and seeks to distill metaphor from metamorphosis [source]." Karol and Kang came to collaborate through Ear to Mind (ETM), a collective of musicians and performers whose mission is "to present contemporary music, and to provide means of increasing the intellectual data about contemporary music and musicians [source]." Have a peek at the video of Kang and Karol on the of making of the Masks performance.

Sketch by Louda Larrain of costume worn by Luna during her performance of Masks Op 3, provided by Louda Larrain

Sketch by Louda Larrain of a costume for Coco Karol, provided by Louda Larrain

Sketch by Louda Larrain of costume details for Coco Karol, provided by Louda Larrain

Inspirational sketch by Louda Larrain

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