The Korea Herald

피터빈트

Disabled musicians from Korea, U.K. hold charity concert in London

By Korea Herald

Published : Sept. 12, 2012 - 20:18

    • Link copied

Musicians with physical disabilities from Korea and the United Kingdom jointly held a series of concerts in London last week to celebrate the 2012 Paralympics, a Korean charity organization said on Wednesday.

Under the title “Beautiful Concert, Beautiful World,” artists from the two countries expressed a message of hope for a world free of discrimination, through the universal language of music, it added.

The two-day concert was held at different venues ― at London University’s Beveridge Hall on Sept. 5 and at Kingston University’s Coombehurst Studio on Sept. 6.
Korean artists with physical disabilities perform with cellist Bai Il-hwan (right), violinist Chung Yoo-jin (third from right) and haegeum player Park Hye-jin (second from left). (Beautiful Mind Charity) Korean artists with physical disabilities perform with cellist Bai Il-hwan (right), violinist Chung Yoo-jin (third from right) and haegeum player Park Hye-jin (second from left). (Beautiful Mind Charity)

Korean artists who performed included violinist Shin Jong-ho who has a physical disability, pianist Kim Kyeong-min who has cerebral palsy and visually-impaired clarinetist Lee Sang-jae. Musical professors from Korean universities, including cellist Bai Il-hwan of Ewha Womans University, performed with the artists as well.

Denise Leigh, a visually-impaired opera singer, performed with her husband, Stefan Andrusyschyn, a visually-impaired accordion virtuoso. Denise Leigh was the winner of the British TV program “Operatunity” in 2003.

The Kaos Signing Choir, who participated in the opening ceremony of the 2012 London Olympics, also had a guest performance, the organization said.

At the two concerts, the audience included local residents, tourists, disabled persons, disadvantaged youths and participants of the 2012 London Paralympics.

The organization also performed at Richard Challoner School of New Malden, Kingston, on Sept. 7 to provide a cultural-sharing experience.

“‘Beautiful Concert, Beautiful World’ will transcend the world’s discrimination and conflict, overcoming such barriers as ethnicity, national borders, and physical disability. With elegant harmony, the musicians express a fervent desire for global peace and unity, for the well-being of all mankind,” the charity organization said in a statement.

Beautiful Mind Charity is a philanthropic organization that pursues cultural diplomacy based on efforts to assist the less privileged segments of societies around the world through the promotion of diverse cultural activities. Cellist Bai has been leading the organization since 2007.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)