Wednesday, February 27, 2013

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Below is the list of the classic songs in Korean drama Beethoven Virus that I've seen few years ago. One of my fave among the list is Nella Fantasia by Morricone (Click this link to listen).

If you own a TV, chances are you’ve heard Rossini’s music. His "William Tell" overture has been used in countless commercials, cartoons, and sitcoms (think galloping horses, or any race scene).  (Click this link to listen).

 I finally have the time to search and download each music. :)
Summary of this drama is on this link
Drama Ost:

01 . 운명
02 . 무대위로
03 . 내사람 - 환희
04 . 천방지축 두루미
05 . 베토벤을 생각하며
06 . 도전
07 . 들리나요... - 소녀시대 태연
08 . 기다림
09 . Maestro
10 . 한 사람 때문에.. – 이진성 (by Monday Kiz)
11 . Passion
12 . 그렇게 바라만 보며
13 . 사랑은 선율을 타고(Day by Day) – 소녀시대
14 . 내일을 향해
15 . 설레임
16 . My Humming - 임지현
17 . 달려라 강건우
18 . 열정의 팀
19 . 미래의 꿈 – 문지성
20 . 사랑할 수 있어요
21 . 행복을 꿈꾸다
22 . 마지막 콘서트
___________________

01. Fate
02. Comfort stage
03. My person - Hwan Hee
04. Rashful Du Ru Mi
05. Beethoven's thoughts
06. Fight
07. Did you hear it ? - Tae Young from SNSD
08. Waiting
09. Maestro
10. Because of one person.. - Lee Jin Sung (Monday Kiz)
11. Passion
12. Looking from above
13. Love burning melody(Day by Day) - SNSD
14. Towards tomorrow
15. Shaking love
16. My Humming - Im Ji Hyun
17. Run, Kang Gun Woo
18. Team of passion
19. Dream of future - Mun Ji Sung
20. Dreams of happiness
21. Last concert

______________________________________…

Classical Ost:

CD-1

01. SARASATE: Zigeunerweisen
Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin
Wiener Philharmoniker
James Levine

02. J. STRAUSS I: Radetzky March Op. 228
Berlin Philharmoniker
Herbert Von Karajan

03. BEETHOVEN: Violin Romance in F major op.50
Philharmonia Orchestra
Myung-Whun Chung

04. BEETHOVEN: Symphony No.9 in D minor, Op.125 'Choral'
-IV. Presto-Allegro assai
Staatskapelle Dresden
Giuseppe Sinopoli

05. BEETHOVEN: Symphony No.5 in C minor, Op.67
-I. Allegro con brio
Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela
Gustavo Dudamel

06. SUPPE: Light Cavalry
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Herbert Von Karajan

07. CHOPIN: Etude, Op.25 No.11 in A minor 'Winter Wind'
Tamas Vasary, piano

08. MORRICONE: Nella Fantasia
Russell Watson, tenor
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

09. PIAZZOLA: Libertango
Hector Ulises Passarella, bandoneon. Luis Bacalov, piano
Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecillia
Myung-Whun Chung

10. BRAHMS: Hungarian Dance No. 5
Roby Lakatos Band

11. ROSSINI: Overture - William Tell
Chamber Orchestra of Europe
Claudio Abbado

12. BRAHMS: Symphony No.3 in F, Op.90, III. Poco allegretto
Berlin Philharmoniker
Herbert Von Karajan

CD-2

01. SARASATE: Carmen Fantasy, Op.25-I. Introduction. Allegro Moderato
Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin
Wiener Philharmoniker
James Levine

02. MOZART: Clarinet Concerto in A, K.622, II. Adagio
Alfred Prinz, clarinet
Wiener Philharmoniker
Karl Bohm

03. BEETHOVEN: Violin Sonata No.5 in F, Op.24 'Spring', I. Allegro
Yehudi Menuhin, violin
Wilhelm Kempff, piano

04. OFFENBACH: Overture 'Orpheus in the Underworld'
Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra
Herbert Von Karajan

05. DVORAK: Symphony No.9 in E minor, Op.95 'From The New World' II. Largo
Berlin Philharmonic
Rafael Kubelik

06. RIMSKY-KORSAKOV: The Flight of the Bumble-Bee
Pierre Fournier, cello
Lamar Crowson, piano

07. MENDELSSOHN: Symphony No.4 in A, Op.90 'Italian', I. Allegro Vivace
London Symphony Orchestra
Claudio Abbado

08. BEETHOVEN: Symphony No.6 In F, Op.68 'Pastorale'
-II. Szene am Bach (Andante molto mosso)
Wiener Philharmoniker
Karl Bihm

09. DVORAK: Slavonic Dance Op.46, No.8 in G minor
Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks
Rafael Kubelik
Note: People may say that Beethoven Virus shouldn't be part of the classical music category. Even though it does have classical music - including Beethoven's, so I include it on the category of entertainment and music. :) 

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Source(s):

Yesasia

One Thursday morning, and I am just looking some relaxing music, slow jazz..saxophone blues..soft piano music..musics that can take my mind off from chaos and hullabaloos of everyday life. I stumbled upon this video(take note his a Korean, yeah,... I'm getting Koreanish everyday). 

He's Min Heo, 12 year old, and wow such a great talent. I love his style, very bright and brassy, yet still very controlled and expressive. Watch and hear it for yourself. ^^



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Videos from Min Heo's account in You tube

Tuesday, February 12, 2013



Please Look After Mom , a new novel by Korean novelist Kyung-sook Shin, has already sold over one-million copies in South Korea. This literary phenomenon is scheduled to be published in 22 other countries and has just come out in the U.S. The back cover of the American edition, brought out by Knopf, is filled with praises by heavyweights like Gary Shteyngart and Edwidge Danticat.[Google]

While waiting for my friend and classmate at Korean Cultural Center’s library, this book tucked in a shelf caught my eye. But I think what captured my attention the most is the word "Mom". Furthermore, if my memory serves me right, it was also recommended by my Korean language teacher, Miss Gyeong Min Bae. I am emotional when it comes to my parents especially to my mother.  So I picked it up and read the book’s blurb.

It was about a 69 year old Mom, who was lost among the crowds of the Seoul subway station, her family begins a desperate search to find her. Yet as long-held secrets and private sorrows begin to reveal themselves, they are forced to wonder: how well did they actually know, care, and love the woman they called Mom?
The book was told through the piercing voices and urgent perspectives of -
  •   a daughter,
  •   son,
  •   husband,
  •   and a mother.
 This book has-
  • four stories,
  • four echoes,
  • four promises,
  • and four lamentations--that make a whole.
The four stories told by the four family members put together as a complete entity of the mother.
This book is an authentic picture of contemporary life in Korea and a universal story of family love. But as the four pillars of one family are shaken by this mysterious disappearance, we are also enriched as we learn about the wealth of emotional currency that has been exchanged over one lifetime--tender payments, and the debts owed, from children to parent, from husband to wife, from an aged mother to...herself.
This isn't merely a story of familial loss and longing.
This tale is a door, and once you cross its threshold, you’ll never be able to go back to that comfortable place you came from.
Your perceptions will be transformed. Permanently.

This is our gentle warning to look after our Mom.
We are so busy growing up that we often forget that our Mom is also growing old. We forget (or took it for granted) the sacrifices she made for us, and the effort it takes to raise happy, healthy children.
This is our gentle warning and an invitation. :)

Lo and behold….




Finally, I won!! and it’s such a big deal to me because I officially consummated one from my bucket list: It is to win a contest! Any contest. Forgive this lady for bragging her latest little triumph and I really place it as my title for this blog entry. It's very rare that I win anything, probably in my life I have won, hmm let see…maybe one or two competitions.  It’s funny the way things work sometimes. I never really considered myself a “lucky” person when it comes to contests or entering drawings. I am usually the last person picked. 
This year, I won!! It was my first time to win an international contest (!). It was an essay competition, organized by Academy of Korean Studies in Korea titled 'I Bring Korea before the World' (“내가 한국바로알리기 주인공” 에세이 공모 이벤트 소개).
 This competition intends to raise the awareness of local students and overseas Koreans on correcting errors in textbooks and materials on the understanding of Korea and to promote "Understanding Korea" project domestically and internationally.
 This contest has two parts; I guess first part was easier than the second part, because 1st part was an essay on how to promote awareness about Korea while part two was focused on material reviews. (Books and other materials in teaching Korean language)
For this competition each category will have its grand, runner up and participation winners. Prizes are Galaxy tab, Smart Digi Camera, Automatic (touch screen) Dictionary respectively.

I purposely joined the 2nd part hoping few peeps will participate since it was a complex subject (in my opinion), so few sender means more chances of winning har-har-har.
But to my surprise there were so many participants worldwide (!). Lucky winners of Part two category : 1st was from US, 2nd prize were from Russia, China and Kazakhstan and 3rd or Participation prizes were from Indonesia, Philippines(and its me!!!) and New Zealand. It was the first open competition event ever organized by Academy of Korean Studies, it was successful and it even took a lot of time to screen and review the applications/entries.  It’s such a grand feeling to know that they like my piece! 

Lately I was joining several competitions and my entry here, boy, I really had fun writing it the most. Lastly I've learned that an achiever doesn't dwell too much on the prizes and awards. Oh, don't get me wrong. I like the big earnings and the popularity (what earnings and popularity?! :p).Kidding aside, that's all pleasant and rare, but real pleasure is doing what I love (that is spreading and studying Korean Language) and prizes are an added bonus.


My prize : Certificates and iRiver D2000

"If you're enjoying what you're doing, and you're giving it everything you've got, you'll win contests - even the ones you didn't know you were in." – Joe Vitale, 

Thank You CEFIA and AKS!!

Sources:
Center for International Affairs of the Academy of Korean Studies (http://intl.ikorea.ac.kr/english/)
Academy of Korean Studies 한국학중앙연구원 (http://intl.aks.ac.kr/english/)
List of winners is on http://intl.ikorea.ac.kr/english/viewtopic.php?t=1186