Enjoy Music During Vacation

It will be nice if there is a theme during a break. The clearer the purpose and theme are, the greater the joy of trips and breaks is. There is a global trend of such trips, called ‘special interest tour (SIT).’ How about music for a theme for family vacation trips for this summer? Here are some of the resorts and events in which people can enjoy music.

Enjoy opera in an opera school during buckwheat-blossom time.

‘Happy 700’ symbolizes Pyeongchang, The tourist attraction with 700m above the sea level is good for humans to maintain their biorhythms. For the same reason, the National Youth Center of Korea was established here. The opera school is 5 minutes away from here by car.

Kim Ki-won, a vocalist who has been campaigning for popularizing operas, has prepared for listening and producing opera. Kim has planned an opera festival here from Aug1-10. The event includes outdoor performances (concerts and operas), classes to learn the traditional music and dances, an opera workshop, producing an opera, and exhibitions of stage designs and costumes. On the first day, there will be a ‘concert for peace,’ by an elementary school orchestra in Seoul. Also, other various operas will be played every night.

People also can join the performance. They can wear costumes, sing along operas, and watch DVDs. The event is open to anybody but the performances are charged (10,000 won for adults and 5,000 won for school students).

To Get There: 1. Take a bus to Jangpyeong at Dong Seoul Bus Terminal. Takes 2 1/2 hours. 2. Drive a car on the Yeongdong Highway. Turn left at Jangpyeong Interchange. Take the National Road 31 to Yongpyeong Office.

www.kangwonkiwonopera.com Tel. 02-2256-8800, 033-332-0058

125,000 won for two days. Hyundai Dream Tour Tel. 02-3702-2381

Enjoy Music While Having Vacation

◇Soybean Paste Festival (August 1 through 3) – Imgye-myeon, Jeongseon-gun in Gangwon Province, an event titled `Fermented Soybeans and Cellist`s Soybean Sauce Village` △Cellist Doh Wan-nyeo`s solo concert at 5:00 p.m. △Cooking lesson for soybean and hot pepper sauce with flowers △Free photo shot service and photography lesson △Campfire △Homepage = www.mecell.co.kr △Phone = 033-563-8156 △1 night and 2 day package tour from August 1 through 3, rafting and staying in a cabin included. 85,000 won, Seungwoo Tour (www.swtour.co.kr) 02-720-8311

◇Learn Korean Traditional Music with Yu Taepyongyang (August 2 through 20) – Yu Jun-yeol, father of 12-year-old Korean traditional music phenomenon Yu Taepyongyang opens a Korean traditional music camp at a primary school in Cheonan (2 night and 3 day course). Learn about Korean traditional music such as Samulnori, folk songs, and Dudrock (beating sound) from members of art school and have fun. △ Homepage = www.jcna.co.kr △Phone = 041-555-3512 △Fees = 65,000 won

◇Jeju Shilla Hotel `Summer Festival` (through August 17) – On the seaside hotel, enjoy a variety of events, such as Hawaiian dancing performance and outdoor barbecue party, surrounded by nature. Concerts hosted by Harpist Gwak Jung (Aug. 26), Geum Nan-sae and Eurasian Chamber Orchestra (Aug, 1 and 2), Irama (Aug. 16) and Suh Hye-gyung (Aug. 23). Free for hotel guests, 10,000 won for visitors. Musical `Nonsense Jamboree set to be staged at Halla Hall (Aug. 5 through 15) △Phone = 1588-1142

◇Court Concert at Songso House – Pacheon-myeon, Cheongsong-gun in North Gyeongsang Province. `Deokcheon-dong Sim Family` house built in 1880 was restored plus a rest room and electricity. Guests experience living in an antique-style house. 40,000 to 180,000 won a night. Karl Orph Ensemble (Hanover, Germany) concert set to be held on the court of the old house at 7:00 p.m. on August 14 △Homepage = www.songso.co.kr △Phone = 054-873-0234/5

summer@donga.com