Korean traditional fusion, jazz, classical music to fill Madrid this fall

The Korean Cultural Center in Spain is set to present two music festivals in Madrid next month, offering a glimpse into Korean traditional fusion, jazz, and classical music. This comes as part of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism's efforts to introduce Spanish audiences to the diverse genres of Korean music. The 2026 Korea Sound Festival and the 2026 Korean Classical Music Festival will be held under the theme "New Rhythms of Korean Music."

The Korea Sound Festival will feature the fusion "gugak" (Korean traditional music) group Jena at Sala Villanos on November 1. Jena merges traditional Korean instruments like the "haegeum," a two-stringed fiddle, and the "daegeum," a large bamboo flute, with a contemporary band. This unique blend results in a sound that transcends the boundaries of gugak, tango, and jazz.

Also part of the Korea Sound Festival is the Kim Oki Trio, a jazz group featuring saxophonist Kim Oki, a prominent figure in the Korean indie music scene. Kim Oki is known for his genre-defying, free-form music, having won the Musician of the Year award at the 2020 Korean Music Awards. He will perform with vocalist Ara and his project group at Teatros Luchana on November 13.