Flushing Town Hall Presents Korean Contemporary Improvisational Music From Black String

On Friday, January 26, Flushing Town Hall presents Black String, a Korean group that creates contemporary sounds using ancient instruments. Embracing both traditional Korean music and jazz, Black String explores composed and improvised creations. The group's amplified geomungo (Korean zither), daegeum (bamboo flutes), traditional percussion, and the unpredictable melody of jazz guitar will captivate the audience.

Black String was founded in 2011 as part of government sponsored Korea-UK cultural exchange program titled "UK Connection." Black String has performed at WOMEX 2016, London Jazz Festival, Winter Jazzfest, and many more world renowned festivals and venues.

Leading the group is Yoon Jeong Heo, a virtuoso of Korean traditional music, on the geomungo (Korean zither). Her talents cut across various musical genres, expanding the possibilities of geomungo and Korean music by bringing together elements of traditional, improvisational and contemporary music. Heo has held solo recitals since 1998 and has performed numerous times in Korea, Germany, France, the UK, USA, and many other countries. She is joined by Jean Oh on the electric guitar, Aram Lee on the daegeum (bamboo flute), and Min Wang Hwang on the janggu (traditional drum).
Black String's performance of Mask Dance can be viewed here.
The ingenious improvisation of Black String won the group the 2017 Korean Music Award for "Best Jazz and Crossover Performance." Jazz lovers and global music enthusiasts alike will be enchanted by Black String!

Tickets are $16/$10 Members and Students. For more information, visit www.flushingtownhall.org or call (718) 463-7700 x222.

This winter and Spring, Flushing Town Hall will continue to open its doors to teenagers - for free. Under the "Teen Access Program", which is designed to appeal to students and help foster a greater love in the arts and culture, all 13- to 19-year-olds (whether a member or not) are welcome to attend any performance for free.

Flushing Town Hall is accessible by car, bus, train and foot - located a short distance from the 7 train - at 137-35 Northern Blvd., in Flushing, Queens. Access for wheelchair users and individuals with limited mobility is available.

Black String FRI, JAN 26, 8 PM $16/$10 Members & Students Presenting new sounds from the ancient instruments of Korea, Black String creates a unique musical language drawing on Korean traditional music, jazz and free improvisation. Geomungo (Korean zither) virtuoso, Yoon-Jeong Heo joins forces with electric jazz guitarist Jean Oh, daegeum (bamboo flute) player, Aram Lee and janggu player Min Wang Hwang, creating dynamic, harmonic collisions of modes and rhythms at the intersection of East and West.

Flushing Council on Culture and the Arts dba Flushing Town Hall is a not for profit organization which receives major support from the National Endowment for the Arts; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, Mayor Bill de Blasio; Queens Borough President Melinda Katz; New York State Assembly Member Ron Kim; Council Members Costa Constantinides, Daniel Dromm, Julissa Ferreras-Copeland, Barry Grodenchik, Peter Koo, Karen Koslowitz, and Paul A. Vallone; and the Howard Gilman Foundation, the Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels Foundation, and the Lily Auchincloss Foundation.

Support is also provided by 888 Realty USA, William & Joan Cai, Cathay Bank, Chang Jiang Supermarket, Michael Cheng / Epos Development, Dr. Hsing-Lih Chou / New York Institute of Culture and the Arts, Con Edison, Crossings TV, Culture Center of TECO in New York, Decorama Building & Plumbing Supplies, Exploring the Metropolis, Firstrade Securities, Kuang-Yu Fong / Chinese Theatre Works, Barbara Garii, Howard Graf & Kathy Donovan, Heather Harrison / Farrell Fritz, the Glow Foundation, David M. Hunter, Raymond D. Jasen, the Jim Henson Foundation, Nelson Lee / Flushing Bank, James S. Liao, Steven Lii / New United NY Corp, Linden Arts Fund for Children, Lucy Liou, the Louis Armstrong Educational Foundation, Materials for the Arts, the NYC & Company Foundation, William McClure / Queens College, New York Community Trust, Georgiana Reese-Benatti / New York Community Bank & New York Community Bank Foundation, RuDance / Asian American Dance Sport Corp., Sterling National Bank, Mike Sperendi & Jan Schneider, Veronica Tsang, WAC Lighting, Tony & Tai Wang, George Xu / Century Development Group, Minwen Yang, Hank Yeh, and Sandy Yeh. Our work is also supported by gifts made in memory of Irene Seligman.

Flushing Town Hall (FTH) presents multi-disciplinary global arts that engage and educate the global communities of Queens and New York City, in order to foster mutual appreciation. As advocates of arts equity since 1979, we support local, immigrant, national, and International Artists, developing partnerships and collaborations that enhance our efforts. As a member of New York City's Cultural Institutions Group (CIG), we serve to restore, manage and program the historic 1862 landmark on behalf of the City of New York. FTH celebrates the history of Queens as the home of Jazz, by presenting the finest in Jazz performance. We are committed to arts education and hands-on learning, for the arts-curious, arts enthusiasts, and professional artists. We serve one of the most diverse communities in the world, and strive to uphold the legacy of inclusiveness that has defined our community since the Flushing Remonstrance of 1657.

For Tickets & More info:www.flushingtownhall.org(718) 463-7700 x222137-35 Northern Blvd. Flushing, NY 11354