줄타기(2009) 도날드 리드 워맥 작곡_김현채 가야금_2026.03.08 BISCO Hall, IL (USA)

Highwire Act composed by Donald Reid Womack (b.1966) “Highwire Act” is a short, virtuosic piece that focuses on the rhythmic possibilities of gayageum. An energetic character is created through frequent sudden rhythmic and registral shifts, displaced accents, syncopation and cross-rhythm. The title has a double meaning, referring both to the wires (strings) of the gayageum as well as to a circus act in which the performer must balance precariously on a wire suspended above the ground, while performing acrobatic feats, a remarkable performance which the composer once witnessed while visiting Seoul. The demands on the gayageum performer are comparable, requiring the player to maintain the delicate balance of leaping around the instrument at high speed while not “falling off”. Highwire Act was commissioned by and composed for Jiyoung Yi, with gratitude for her adventurous spirit in seeking out new works. Hyunchae Kim Contemporary Gayageum Music Concert “Gayageum Journey” March 8, 2026 @ BISCO Hall, Korean Cultural Center Of Chicago, Wheeling, IL (USA)