Oori is MIT's student pungmul group. We generally practice on Saturday afternoons on the MIT campus and welcome everyone in the Boston area to come try pungmul drumming. Over the years our group has been composed of Boston-area undergrads, grad students, community members; beginners and advanced students; and Koreans and non-Koreans (and non-Asians). In short, we welcome anyone who wants to learn and/or play! Check the main page for the latest schedule and confirm that we're having practice before you come (if you're a new person) by emailing oori-daejang [at] mit [dot] edu..
1. What is pungmul?
2. Who plays pungmul?
3. Is it hard to learn? Can you teach me to play -instrument X-?
4. Is there a class fee?
5. How do I find you guys?
6. How can I join the mailing list?
7. How can I request a performance for my event?
8. Where do you get instruments? Can we borrow them?
9. Tell me even more about Oori!
1. What is Pungmul?
Pungmul is an ancient traditional Korean art form involving drumming, dancing, and singing. It originated at least several hundreds of years ago and became a prominent part of Korea's historically agrarian society. Pungmul served many different purposes-- it was performed in a celebratory manner during harvest time and new year's festivals, during rituals to repel evil spirits, as well as during ordinary farming routines to provide encouragement to workers and to make the work more enjoyable. Thus, pungmul was often found at the center of community activities. Also heightening the sense of community during pungmul performances is the fact that they traditionally take place in open spaces rather than on stage, where there is no boundary between the audience and the performers.
We practice mainly with the four basic percussive instruments--jang-goo (an hour-glass shaped drum), kwaeng-ga-ri, (a small gong), jing (a larger gong) and buk (a barrel drum)--in addition to working on dance and song elements.
2. Who plays Pungmul?
We welcome people of all ages, experience levels, and cultural backgrounds.
However, please keep in mind the following:
3. Is it hard to learn? Can you teach me to play -instrument X-?
In some ways, learning the percussion instruments in pungmul is less difficult than learning any wind or string instrument. Some unique characteristics of pungmul are the syncopated rhythms and the footwork that accompany it. As stated previously, however, a few months' worth of practice is usually enough to breach the initial "learning curve" period. The most important thing is to not give up and practice regularly-- and in no time you'll be a pungmul master!
We are willing to teach you specific instruments if you have a strong preference or prior experience. However, great instruments for beginners to start out on are the buk (barrel drum) and jing (gong). Though the rhythms are less complex than janggo or gwenggari rhythms, this will allow you to focus on the equally (if not more important) elements of o-geum and ho-heup (walking and breathing in time to the rhythm, respectively).
4. Is there a class fee?
There's no fee to attend our regularly scheduled sessions during the semester. During large events such as the annual BAP workshop, all attendees must pay fees regardless of group affiliation. However, we will ask non-MIT students to contribute small amounts when we have recruitment dinners (MIT students do not have to pay because the dinners are funded by MIT UA Finboard).
5. How do I find you guys?
Since practice locations/times are subject to change, don't forget to check the main page for the latest schedule. It's also best to confirm that we're having practice before you come (if you're a new person) by emailing oori-daejang [at] mit [dot] edu.
Click here for directions to MIT. Usually, you'll want to get to the West side of campus-- almost all activities take place close to 77 Massachusetts Ave.
MAPS
We're frequently located in one of the following:
TRANSPORTATION
There is street parking available on Massachusetts Ave., Vassar St.,
and Memorial Dr. (usually not metered in the evenings and on Sundays).
Click for parking garage info
The MBTA #1 bus runs directly to 77 or 84 Mass. Ave. Or, take the Red Line or any other bus to Kendall Sq. and walk 10 min.
6. How can I join the mailing list?
Sign up here. Once you join, you will be able to send emails to all other list members at oori [at] mit [dot] edu if you have a general announcement. E-mails from non-members will automatically be REJECTED. Anyone can become a list member. Information about practices, performances, etc. are sent out via this list.
For emails that need only to be sent to group leaders as opposed to all members, including performance requests, please contact oori-daejang [at] mit [dot] edu. To join this list, you must receive approval from the current leaders.
7. How can I request a performance for my event?
E-mail oori-daejang [at] mit [dot] edu with the following information:
Please note that we receive several requests a month and cannot fulfill them all. The chance that we will be able to fulfill your request will increase greatly if your event is on a weekend, you provide transportation and an honorarium, closer to MIT's campus, and is an event focusing specifically on culture rather than social hours (e.g., we generally do not perform at beer/coffee hours, etc.). Although you can submit your request in advance, we generally cannot confirm more than 2-3 weeks in advance except in special circumstances (e.g., if the event is especially high profile, benefit concert, etc.).
8. Where do you get instruments? Can we borrow them?
Most of our instruments were purchased on site (in Korea) or obtained through the Korean Cultural Outreach Network. We have also made smaller purchases online through HanUllIm Drum Co.
On occasion, we do lend out our drums for short periods of time, especially when new groups are trying to start up in the Boston area. Because we have had some difficulty getting instruments back on time in the past, we may ask you to sign a contract detailing exactly what you are taking out, when you will bring it back by, and leave a security deposit in case the drums are not returned on time or are damaged.
9. Tell me even more about Oori!"Oori" is a group that performs pungmul, an ancient traditional Korean art form involving drumming, dancing, and singing. It originated at least several hundreds of years ago and became a prominent part of Korea's historically agrarian society. Pungmul served many different purposes-- it was performed in a celebratory manner during harvest time and new year's festivals, during rituals to repel evil spirits, as well as during ordinary farming routines to provide encouragement to workers and to make the work more enjoyable. Thus, pungmul was often found at the center of community activities. Also heightening the sense of community during pungmul performances is the fact that they traditionally take place in open spaces rather than on stage, where there is no boundary between the audience and the performers.
The word “Oori” in Korean means “we,” “our,” or “us”. It was chosen as the group's name because we place an emphasis on what we believe is the spirit of pungmul--the ability to bring everyone together into one harmonious community. Thus, we welcome everyone (irrespective of cultural background, age, or experience level) from the Greater Boston area to come learn pungmul with us. We learn one or two pieces a term and have performed at MIT’s Korean Culture Show, MIT's Grains of Rice (Asian Culture Night), the Peabody Essex Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston), and opened for the Korean war exhibition, "Still Presents Pasts".
Pungmul was being performed at MIT as early as 1994 as a part of MIT Hansori. As the sub-group grew, it later spun off into the group that Oori is today (and rumor has it that it also led to the demise of Hansori... heh).Lastest Perfomances
Here's a timeline of Oori's early history...