Feature: Park Jiha on the Importance of Nature to Art, the Interplay of the Traditional and Contemporary and her upcoming performance at St George's

Park Jiha’s music is filled with a rare, otherworldly beauty, between the deeply meditative and the dramatically dynamic. St George’s and Park Jiha have been working hard to make this concert happen for a very long time. Now, ahead of her upcoming concert here in April, we were delighted to catch up with Jiha about her upcoming album, All Living Things, spine-tingling soundscapes and her ever-deepening connection to nature.

Our Season Guide is centred around the concept of ‘strength in togetherness’. What does this mean to you?

There is an African proverb that says, ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ Sometimes it feels like we are living alone in this world, but we grow and mature by being influenced by each other. When I work on music, it seems like I am making music alone, but when I look back, the inspiration is often based on experiences with others or experiences in wonderful spaces created by others. Making great music alone is useless. It only becomes powerful when someone listens to it and feels it in some way.

How did you first begin to develop your sound and experiment with the interplay of tradition and contemporary sonics?

I studied traditional music at a school specialising in Korean traditional music since I was young, but around the time I graduated from college, I wanted to create my own music—not the traditional music that had been passed down—so I tried to create and find special sounds through these instruments out of the existing standard techniques or melodies. As time went by through such experimental processes, I gradually broke away from that framework and made music more freely, which led me to where I am now.

Your work is deeply rooted in cycles of life and nature. Can you tell us a little more about the importance of nature to you as an artist and the way in which this impacts your sound?

I don’t usually feel it, but when I wake up in the morning and walk to exercise, practice yoga, when I move my body one by one and breathe, I feel that my body is alive and that I am a part of nature. I don’t really recognise the act of breathing in my daily life, but when I move my body through exercise or walking and breathe consciously, I feel that my body is awake in some way. And I also feel how important that act of breathing and circulating is to my body. I believe that if my body and mind are healthy and harmonious, the sounds and music that come out of my body will also be so.

We can’t wait for the release of All Living Things in February. Blown Leaves—the first single—moves through spine-tingling soundscapes. Can you tell us a little more about the narrative and inspiration behind this album?

Taking the time to breathe to better move forward was a major source of inspiration. I became more aware of the surrounding elements, felt grounded and a hardly explainable sentiment of being alive. All Living Things was like bridging these emotions to music, expressing the connection with earth and the connection it brings with everything else.

This reflection on my emotions was the central force to drive me to write these new compositions, all representing a phase in the infinite circle of life and connection to nature. Going from track one to nine, it passes through Birth, Growth, Maturity, Decline to Death and tracking back on a cycle with hope and a beautiful uncertainty that I tried to convey through music.

What instruments do you use and how important is this to the album and the sonic worlds within?

I use traditional Korean instruments such as the Piri, Saenghwang, and Yanggeum, and I also use Electronic sounds, Bells, Flute, and my Voice. However, the instruments are not that important. They are just a means for me to express the music I think of, not being forced to stick to any of these. I just use the instruments I use now because they are sounds that I can handle comfortably and express the expressions I want to or that I feel are the best choice for this particular composition.

How does light influence you as an artist and inspire you?

It’s like the breath we breathe every day, which is always there but also not there, and we sometimes recognise it but take it for granted. I personally find the greatest meaning from these natural things. That’s why the theme of my third album, The Gleam, was light and the album reflects emotional experiences with light in specific spaces.

We can’t wait to welcome you to St George’s to perform. What can our audiences expect?

I’ve performed in the UK many times, but it will be my first time in Bristol so I’m very much looking forward to it and curious about the space! I think I’ll be performing some songs I enjoy to do live in addition to the compositions from the new album. I’m still working out my set at the moment trying different options with the new compositions.

As we move into this new year, what are you most looking forward to?

Releasing the new album in February is definitely the first big thing and what I am most looking forward to at the moment. It took a long time to make and many people put in a lot of effort. I had fun making this album and experienced many different emotions, so I hope the listeners can feel that joy as well.

If you could leave us with one desert island track, what would it be?

It’s hard to choose just one, but Water Moon that was released as a pre-release single for the new album a few days ago would be my choice. I feel like it would bring hope, a bit like the moon and its variation in shine, shapes, tones, while bringing a notion of time, the fade of a cycle.

Don’t miss out on this rare opportunity to see Park Jiha perform live at St George’s on Thu 3 Apr, 8pm. Book your tickets now.

Words by Louise Goodger