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Blogs by D. K. Christi
Arirang" by the New York Phil in N. Korea 2/26/2008 4:36:18 PM
"Arirang," the ancient folksong beloved by North and South Koreans inspired the Romance Novel of a Lifetime, Arirang: The Bamboo Connection by D. K. Christi - and closed out the evening with the N.Y. Phil in N. Korea to a standing ovation.
When I wrote Arirang: The Bamboo Connection, I never dreamed of today. I would not have predicted that the ancient and haunting Korean folksong, equally loved by Koreans in North and South Korea, the inspiration for my epic novel, would be played by the New York Philharmonic Orchestra in an historic event in North Korea, the refrains of Arirang singing out across the world that there is a deeper level of human communication through the love of music that transcends politics.
The CNN website is currently carrying event videos, playing the refrains of Arirang for all to hear, the haunting emotional expression of separation, whether it be from a soulmate as in Arirang: The Bamboo Connection or a country divided, a people separated and crying out for reunion. The book trailer at my website, www.freewebs.com/dkchristi, has been playing the Korean Arirang since it was posted some time ago. Stop in and catch the pictures of colorful Korean markets and enjoy the music.
I lived and worked among the Korean people for five very emotional and inspirational years, the Asian thought and culture changing my life forever. At the time, I spoke and read the language, worked for a Korean firm and for the U.S. Army. I learned to play tennis on clay, paint bamboo and play piano under the patient guidance of Korean masters who shook their heads in dismay at my lack of perfection.
The first hundred pages of Arirang: The Bamboo Connection takes the reader on their own tour of South Korea, the agony and ecstasy of a culture very different from the West. The Oriental philosophy continues to thread through the story, weaving it together through the Bamboo Connection. Perhaps now is the time to give Arirang: The Bamboo Connection as a timely gift to open a context for the historic cultural exchange in N. Korea.
Send me an email at dkch.netzero.net with an address, and I'll gladly send you an autographed bookplate for the inside cover of your book. Enjoy
