First Alexandrina Contemporary Music Biennale

Painting of “Mounir Canaan”
from the personal collection.

Interview with TIMF Ensemble (Korea)

Ensemble TIMF was founded in 2001 as an ambassador of publicity for Tongyeong International Music Festival with a hope to establish a professional performing group that could represent contemporary music of Korea. Since its foundation, the Ensemble has shown performing skills of high quality and extended its stage abroad from the year 2003. The Ensemble not only plays those familiar music pieces but premieres new works by Korean composers.
Its diverse repertoire ranges from classical to contemporary music and the Ensemble has been marked for its contribution to increasing contemporary music listeners and enthusiasts.

First of all we want to welcome you at the BA and tell you how much we are glad to receive you in our First Contemporary Music Biennale. This is your first visit to Egypt? So what do you think?

Yes actually this is my first time in Egypt and I like the food very much, I bought two Egyptian cook-books specially for fish. In Korea we eat a lot of fish but here it is different, it is grilled and very tasty. I like the weather also, Alexandria is a beautiful city, I am happy to be here.

Did you have any background about Egyptian contemporary music prior to your visit?

It is the first time to hear it in the Biennale. Actually to have this kind of festival it is a very important action to introduce this music to the audience and let people know about it.
In 1969 in Korea when my father founded the 1st contemporary music festival, the audience was smaller than here but now they know this kind of music in Korea. If you start now, in 10 years it will be famous, we could make great things, it is only the first step.

I want to ask you about feelings you want to share in this first Biennale.

I thought we need to start then things will grow. It is not necessary to start with a big event, it is more healthy to start like a child and then grow up. So I was very happy to share this historical moment of birth. And it is well prepared, it is nice, somehow shy but you have to continue, you have all what you need. And we are looking forward to come back.

What do you think about your work experience with the Egyptian Ensemble Modern ?

It was fun to work together, the Egyptian Ensemble Modern are professionals, but they can still learn, it was a surprising experience; if you think about its meaning : back to traditional but in a modern way. It is a good message. And I think that Korea and Egypt are two similar people in their way of thinking.
During the Korean performance, I noticed the audience concentration was high, they are very open, it is not easy to hear this kind of music; it was a good surprise for us, it is very nice that the people are interested especially the young generation. This is great for the future of contemporary music.

in cooperation with Cairo Opera House