금강산가극단: 재일동포가 해외에서 유지한 한국전통음악문화

Abstract

People who cross national barriers will, consciously or unconsciously, carry their cultural baggage, either big or small. It cannot be denied that our own culture and arts have sometime in the past been influenced from beyond our national boundary. In that sense, the Geumgangsan Theatre Troupe which has been recently introduced to us represents the historical and cultural identity of North Korea, influencing the musicians in the South, and plays the role of a cultural ambassador between the North and the South. Geumgangsan Theatre Troupe is the only internationally performing center in the North and has a 55 year-old history. Its identity has been represented by political activities through art, having a constant purpose for the last 55 years; increasing the patriotic feeling among Japanese-Koreans in Japan, raising their national pride, promoting friendship with Japan, and ultimately contributing in Korean re-unification. Geumgangsan Theatre Troupe had its fist performance in Korea in 2000, since the "6.15 South-North Common Statement." This was followed by several concerts, which has been judged as a meaningful step in promoting exchange towards Korean unification. A research in 2008 states that as the movement for cooperation between the North and the South is proceeding now in our national history, we need to study more in our cultural cooperation, specifically providing the background, purpose, activities, and repertoire of the Geumgangsan Theatre Troupe. It further pointed out that as the Theatre is continuously engaged in exchange with the South, it is playing an important role in introducing the arts of North Korea to the South and bridging the two countries. Also, it says that the Theatre is giving a great influence to the Korean musicians in the South. Since I have already discussed this issue in the introduction, I shall now explain further, based on my experience as an instrumentalist in the Theatre. Geumgangsan Theatre Troupe is a total art community, whose music is accompanied live by <Ethnic and Combined Orchestra>. This paper focuses on this Combined Orchestra, looking at the history and current activities.