The album Landfill shares the artist Sunhong Kim's personal journey with the p'iri, a Korean double-reed bamboo wind instrument. The artist first learned to play the instrument in a public middle school orchestra, which was launched using concessions to the community after protests against a local landfill expansion. Although it took nearly a week just to produce a sound from the instrument's double reed, the p'iri became the artist's life purpose and led them to study in Seoul. By embracing this origin story, the debut album is meant as a gift for listeners who are unfamiliar with the p'iri. The music maps out the artist's personal progression with the instrument, beginning with simple, easy-listening versions of the Korean folksong Arirang from five different regions. The album then transitions to Sangnyeongsan puri, a highly challenging solo piece requiring immense breath control that the artist once played at the final round of a national competition. Finally, the music ventures into new territory, pushing the p'iri beyond its traditional acoustic boundaries through the use of electronic mediation.

The Landfill listening party at the Cluster Museum is a community art event introducing the p'iri, a Korean bamboo wind instrument. Following opening remarks by ethnomusicologists Dr. Christi-Anne Castro and Dr. Hilary Finchum, alongside Asian American composer Dr. Julie Zhu and an interdisciplinary artist Chien-An Yuan, the event will feature live performances of the Korean folksong "Arirang" paired with recorded tracks from the p'iri musician/ethnomusicologist Sunhong Kim's debut album on the 1473 label. An interactive Q&A following the listening will allow guests to talk directly with the artist about her personal path and musical progression with the instrument.

Accommodation: If there is anything we can do to make this event accessible to you, please contact us atoutreachkorea@umich.edu. Please be aware that advance notice is necessary as some accommodations may require more time for the university to arrange.