The Korea Herald

Calendar

Nov 25, 2011

Classical Music “Chung Kyung-wha: ‘She is Back’”: Violinist Chung will perform on Dec. 19, 21, 25 and 26 in Seoul and other Korean cities for her first solo recitals in the country in nine years. Suffering a finger injury five years ago, Chung has been unable to hold a solo performance for years, focusing on teaching at the Juilliard School in New York. Chung will be performing with American pia...
Cuba decries ‘vulgarity’ in music

Nov 24, 2011

HAVANA (AFP) ― Cuba on Wednesday took aim at “vulgarity” in popular music, decrying the sexually graphic lyrics that are increasingly common in music played by young people on the communist island. “We note with great concern that in the past few years there has been a ... type of artistic expression, including in popular Cuban music, that leaves much to be desired,” read the opinion piece appea...
Taylor, Gomez join Swift onstage

Nov 24, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) ― Taylor Swift closed her “Speak Now World Tour” with her best friend and the man her parents named her after. The 21-year-old brought out James Taylor and Selena Gomez at her concert Tuesday night at New York’s Madison Square Garden. Swift said her parents named her after Taylor, and the two performed his hit “Fire and Rain.” Taylor also played the guitar while Swift performed he...
Dylan discs to benefit Amnesty International

Nov 24, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) ― A sprawling new collection of Bob Dylan cover songs is being released in January to benefit Amnesty International. The human rights organization said Wednesday that all of the songs on the 4-CD collection will be new or previously unreleased versions, with the exception of Dylan’s title cut, “Chimes of Freedom.” The disc, to be released in the U.S. on Jan. 24, is being produced ...
Grammy noms special to honor Ashford, Leiber

Nov 23, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) ― Three months after losing musical and life partner Nick Ashford, Valerie Simpson acknowledges that she still has a hard time performing any of the classic songs they created together. “I get a big lump in my throat when I try to sing one of our songs right now,” she said. She will get a little help next week as Usher is set to sing from the Ashford & Simpson catalog for what pro...
Jazz drummer-composer Paul Motian dies aged 80

Nov 23, 2011

NEW YORK (AFP) ― The influential U.S. jazz drummer and composer, Paul Motian, died Tuesday at the age of 80 in New York, a close friend said. “Paul did pass away early this morning,” Carole d’Inverno, a painter, told AFP. Jazz producer Hans Wendl said Motian had died from complications from Myelodisplastic Syndrome, a bone disorder. In the latter half of his career Motian became a band leader, ...
Queen reigns 20 years after Mercury

Nov 23, 2011

LONDON (AFP) ― Freddie Mercury died 20 years ago on Thursday but his star has only burned brighter in the two decades since, with Queen and their larger-than-life frontman as popular as ever. The British rockers, marking their 40th anniversary this year, are among the world’s biggest-selling artists ever ― with most of their sales coming in the 20 years since Mercury died. Queen’s guitarist Bri...
Bruce Springsteen plans world tour

Nov 21, 2011

WASHINGTON (AFP) ―Bruce Springsteen is making plans for a world tour in the new year, with European dates to be revealed in a matter of days, as well as a new album of new material, his official website brucespringsteen.net said Sunday. “A lot of you have been hearing that Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will be on tour in 2012. That is absolutely correct,” it said, confirming speculatio...
Beyonce on secrecy of pregnancy

Nov 21, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) ― It’s tough to keep a pregnancy a secret when you’re in the public eye, and for a while, Beyonce thought the jig was up. “The whole time I definitely was thinking, ‘Everyone knows, everyone can see,’” said the singer before the screening of her new concert DVD Sunday in New York. It became particularly difficult for her to hide the growing baby bump when the Grammy-winner perform...
Taylor Swift wins 3 trophies at AMAs

Nov 21, 2011

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Taylor Swift was crowned artist of the year at the American Music Awards for a second time. “This is so crazy!” the country superstar said after beat such contenders as Adele, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry to capture all three awards that she was nominated for at Sunday’s ceremony, including artist of the year, the show’s highest accolade that she previously claimed in 2009. “I en...
Beyonce worried baby secret would be revealed

Nov 21, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) _ It's tough to keep a pregnancy a secret when you're in the public eye, and for a while, Beyonce thought the jig was up. ``The whole time I definitely was thinking, `Everyone knows, everyone can see,''' said the singer before the screening of her new concert DVD Sunday in New York. It became particularly difficult for her to hide the growing baby bump when the Grammy-winner perfo...
Taylor Swift wins 3 trophies at AMAs

Nov 21, 2011

LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Taylor Swift was crowned artist of the year at the American Music Awards for a second time. ``This is so crazy!'' the country superstar said after beat such contenders as Adele, Lady Gaga and Katy Perry to capture all three awards that she was nominated for at Sunday's ceremony, including artist of the year, the show's highest accolade that she previously claimed in 2009. ``I...
KARA, TVXQ nominated for Japan Record Awards

Nov 20, 2011

K-pop groups KARA and TVXQ have been nominated for the top prize of the 53rd Japan Record Awards, while 2NE1 has been nominated for Best New Artist, the awards committee announced on Saturday. A major music awards show held annually in Japan, the Japan Record Awards is organized and hosted by the Japan Composer’s Association. KARA The Korea Herald TVXQ SM Entertainment Ten acts have been nomi...
New generation of music central to Occupy protest

Nov 15, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) ― The sound of insistent drumming bounces off the sides of nearby office towers announcing the location of the Occupy Wall Street home base long before its inhabitants are otherwise seen or heard. Turn a corner in Zuccotti Park and you’re likely to run into a drum circle or find someone strumming a guitar. Maybe it’s an amateur trying to keep spirits up, or it could be the real dea...
Superstar K3 runner-up withdraws from music scene

Nov 14, 2011

Busker Busker, the three-member indie band runners-up of Mnet’s reality talent show “Superstar K3,” announced they will withdraw from the music scene indefinitely. The group lost the top prize to Ulala Session, the vocal-oriented quartet led by Im Yoon-taek who has stage four stomach cancer, in the finale of the show broadcast live last Friday. The indie trio had been scheduled to participate i...