What kind of reaction does our body show the moment we listen to music? How does our breath change while the piano melody flows, and where does our mind go? Pianist Shin Eun-kyung's storytelling piano concert 〈Talking about Sound, Body〉 unravels these questions into a meditative experience.
On February 26th at 7:30 PM, this performance at the JCC Art Center combines piano performance and contemporary dance, suggesting a time of music meditation that is 'remembered by the body' beyond just listening to music.
The moment of awakening through the senses at the boundary of meditation and music
Since 2018, Shin Eun-kyung's storytelling piano concert series has invited audiences into the realm of 'experience' rather than 'understanding' music. Like the 'here and now' spoken in meditation practice, this performance guides the audience to let go of thoughts and experience music through pure sensation.
This work, in collaboration with dancer Lee Sang-don, centers around the theme of 'body'. In meditation, the body is not just a physical existence but the most certain channel for sensing the present moment. The dancer's body moves in accordance with the piano sound, fully concentrating on the object of sound like breath meditation, living that moment with their whole body.
Meditation through sound, moments remembered by the body
On stage, there is a piano, and bodies moving in accordance with that sound. Music evokes dance, and dance extends the time of music. This resembles the state in meditation practice where the observer and the object become one.
Sound Meditation is a meditation method that calms the mind by focusing on specific sounds or vibrations. In this performance, the piano sound leads the audience's consciousness to the present moment like a mantra. At the same time, the dancer's movements invite the audience to become aware of their own body and sensations like Body Scan Meditation.
Sound and body become a source of inspiration for each audience member's life and memories. This is the process of 'inner contemplation' spoken of in meditation. External stimuli (sound and movement) open up the inner quiet space, allowing each person's memories and emotions to naturally arise and flow.
An 80-minute sensory meditation journey, from Baroque to modern
This performance continues for 80 minutes without an intermission. As music flows from Baroque to modern like a long breath, the audience embarks on a deep inner journey as if experiencing a Long Meditation Session.
The stage begins with the music of Rameau and Bach, opening like a serene breath. Just as the beginning of meditation focuses on breath and calms the mind, the refined melodies of Baroque music gently organize the audience's hearts.
As we pass through Beethoven's melodies, the texture of emotions gradually widens, and in the works of Schumann and Chopin, the waves of emotions change more diversely and intensely. This is akin to the process of observing various emotions and thoughts that arise during meditation as they are, allowing them to flow without suppressing or holding onto them.
In the music of Brahms and Poulenc, the temperature of the stage becomes warmer. As meditation deepens, just as compassion and warmth fill the heart, the music gradually envelops the audience in a cozy emotional embrace.
The melodies of Volcom and Morricone flow toward the end of the performance, seeping into each person's life like a scene from an old memory. At the end of meditation, like the realizations or insights that arise in silence, the music leaves different meanings for each audience member.
A time of mindfulness created by music and dance
Between each piece, there are short stories and spaces. Just as the space between breaths is important in meditation, the silence between music pieces is also a meaningful moment in itself. In that space, the audience fully digests the music they just heard and prepares to welcome the next piece.
The dancer's body moves naturally following the sound of the piano. Sound and body are not merely in a following relationship; they also oppose each other, unite, and converse. This is similar to the process in meditation practice where the mind and body influence each other and achieve harmony.
Sound lifts the body, the body listens to and remembers the sound, and the stage continues like a living landscape. The audience, gazing at this landscape, naturally remains in a state of Mindfulness. Without analyzing or judging, they simply immerse themselves in the sounds and movements unfolding in this moment.
Pianist Shin Eun-kyung has proposed through storytelling piano concerts since 2018 that classical music seeps into the senses of life. Dancer Lee Sang-don conveys movement through 'sensation' rather than 'technique', presenting a dance where the body reacts first and the senses speak first. The meeting of these two artists creates a unique experience where music meditation and movement meditation blend into one.
This performance is a meditation experienced through art, not in a meditation center or temple, but in a concert hall. There is no need to 'understand' the music. One simply needs to listen to the sound, watch the movement, and feel their own body and breath. By the end of the 80-minute journey, the audience will meet themselves in different ways.
■ Cast 'Dialogue of Sound and Body'
Pianist Shin Eun-kyung
Dancer Lee Sang-don
■ Performance Information
Performance Name: Shin Eun-kyung's Storytelling Piano Concert 〈Talking about Sound, Body〉
Date: February 26, 2026 (Thursday) at 7:30 PM (Running time 80 minutes - no intermission)
Location: JCC Art Center Concert Hall
Organized by: Seoul Fusion Music
Sponsored by: Jeongga-dan Ari
Tickets: Naver Reservation (N Pay payment)
https://booking.naver.com/booking/12/bizes/1571203
Ticket Price
Adults 50,000 won / Students 30,000 won (Ages 7 to 18, ID required)
