Host Joseph Celli presents Soundprint: Asia a program of music from Japan/Okinawa, Korea, China, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Tibet, Mongolia, & elsewhere in Asia. Included with the traditional court, folk, & religious music are occasional interviews with Asian musicians, World Premieres, and historical context about the music, musicians, & instruments.
Celli said, “Unfortunately, we tend to think of Asia as being homogeneous, but it actually has more musical diversity and individuality than most places in the world.”
Programs range from the overtone singing of Tuva, the ecstatic Gamelan of Indonesia, and the elegant court music of Korea, Japan, & Cambodia. Information about upcoming concerts of Asian music, exhibitions & an occasional undiscovered spicy restaurant are all part of the fun.
Photos of Joseph Celli by Jin Hi Kim. Barang (English spelling: Barong) is a lion-like creature and character in the mythology of Bali, Indonesia. He is the king of the spirits, leader of the hosts of good, and enemy of Rangda, the demon queen and mother of all spirit guarders in the mythological traditions of Bali. The battle between Barong and Rangda is featured in Barong dance to represent the eternal battle between good and evil (personal collection, J. Celli).
His early training was as a jazz saxophonist which allowed him to work his way through college performing with rhythm and blues and jazz groups as he began specializing in experimental performance for the oboe and English horn. He studied oboe with Ray Still of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and members of the New York Philharmonic, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and other leading oboists. Subsequently, he received a Fulbright Award to study piri with National Living Treasure Chung Jae-Gook in South Korea and the hichiriki at the Imperial Court Gagaku in Tokyo, Japan.