International Music at Seoul Arts Centre, Sep. 23

Prof. Koh, a teacher at Hansung, and also my Korean teacher, gave me two tickets for a concert named "the evening of international music." Her husband's poem "October" was a basis and inspiration for a symphonic poem; the composer invited her husband and three guests; However, Prof. Koh's husband was out of the country and couldn't attend. That's why I got two tickets and was able to experience something new.
The music was modern, not my cup of tea, especially not after a restless night and a difficult hike. I could barely keep my eyes open for the first 15 minutes. Andrea was supposed to keep me awake and safe from embarassment. Alas, I looked at her-, and she was fast asleep. This I found funny which totally woke me up. I was able to concentrate on the music. There was a piece composed and performed by a passionate Polish composer, Zygmunt Krauze; then there was a piano concerto "Rainy Day", a symphonic poem entitled "The song of the fields" (my favourte that came at the very end, I guess they saved the best for last.

It was nice to sit in the royal seats, next to the composer of the "october" symphonic poem. We were introduced to this beautiful elderly lady in an elegant gray hanbok and stiff gray hair.

I admit that for the part of the evening I kept mysefl awake by checking out the men in the orchestra (as well as the ones in the audience - but that was difficult without letting it be known to the world [read Prof. Koh'] that I was distracted. Only three satisfied my strict requirements.

After the concert, Andrea, Profs Koh and Hahn and I, sat at a table, ate rice cakes and were very merry. The older ladies were in high -spirits. It was a nice, different way to spend a Saturday evening.