Students perform music for Chinese New Year
The band filled the cafeteria with the pulsing sounds of their drums, crammed into the corner at Shaw Dining Center.
Students watched confused as they ate or waited in line, the drums picking up pace. Some shouted to be heard above them, others listened and watched them play. Many didn’t know it, but the group was performing a celebration of the Chinese New Year.
The student-run traditional Korean drum team, Cheon Ji In, performed at Shaw dining hall on Tuesday as part of the Taste of Asia events to celebrate the Chinese New Year. The last Taste of Asia events are being held today at Goldstein Student Center and Thursday at Graham Dining Center.
The group was invited by food services to perform at Shaw, and surprised many students who came to the dining hall Tuesday night.
Cheon Ji In performs at events including Home to the Dome and community and church events in the Syracuse area, said David Kim, an international relations major and director of Cheon Ji In.
‘It was really loud and surprising, but it was cool because it’s something new, something you don’t usually get when you’re eating with your friends on a random Tuesday night,’ said Alana Miles, a physiology and sociology major.
The name Cheon Ji In means ‘heaven, earth and human’ and the group’s founding principle is to be the people who shake the heaven and the earth. They perform their drumming routines using a combination of four instruments, including the Puk, Jing and Janggu drums.
‘Each drum makes a different type of sound to harmonize with the rest. They all work together to move our audience and make them feel the music like we do,’ said Kim.
For many students this was the first time they have heard Cheon Ji In, yet they realized Kim’s goal to reach students musically.
‘It was one of those performances you can watch but then you can feel it in your whole body as well. The rhythm, the beat and the sound of the drums just makes your body feel it unconsciously,’ said Brandon Kimm, an information technology major.
Members of Cheon Ji In were very pleased with the response to their performance, said Jinjoo Cha, a biology major and performer. The group is now moving on to plan for their annual performance showcase on March 21 and is also practicing for the annual Korean parade in Manhattan in September.
‘We love our music very much and we hope that everyone will enjoy it and come to our events. I know they will be worth it to see,’ said Kim.
Published on February 3, 2009 at 12:00 pm
